President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who arrived in Sri Lanka on Sunday, has attended Sri Lanka’s official independence day celebrations as the guest of honour. 

This is the first time that a Maldivian president has attended these celebrations; there were cultural demonstrations and military parades at the event on Monday.

As Sri Lanka marks its 71st anniversary, President Maithripala Sirisena pardoned a total of 545 prisoners. President Solih and President Sirisena had also held bilateral talks at the sideline of the celebrations.

President Solih was welcomed at the Maldivian embassy in Colombo, where he addressed Maldivians residing in Sri Lanka’s capital. 

In his address on Sunday, President Solih said that Maldivians living in Colombo will receive coverage of the national health insurance, Aasandha even from health facilities there.