President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that Sri Lanka’s similarities with Maldives make it easier to do business with each other.

The President said this while speaking as the guest of honour at the event on Monday to discuss business relations between both countries, as part of his official visit to Sri Lanka.

President Solih said that Sri Lanka is a country with whom Maldivians share deep similarities such as language, customs, even cuisine and that Sri Lanka has always welcomed Maldivians, which is also why people of both countries find it easy to do business with one another.

“In the last few decades trade between Sri Lanka and Maldives has prospered. Our government would like to build on these positive foundations and look forward to welcoming entrepreneurs and investors to do business in the Maldives.”

President Solih also said that his administration believes that the private sector remains the key driver of economic growth, ensuring a stable rule-based economic order designed to facilitate ease of businesses.

He assured that Maldives will always stay open for business and is committed to encouraging foreign investment.

He also said that Maldives and Sri Lanka rely on similar sectors such as Tourism and face similar challenges such as natural disasters to climate change, adding that there are many areas in which both countries can collaborate, such as renewable energy.

“I also wish to highlight that my administration is committed to ensuring that the fruits of economic growth resultant from our increased trade are evenly distributed through the Maldives. This is why we are committed to increasing connectivity between our disperse atolls and building up the infrastructure and human resources of population centers outside of our capital male’.”

He said that Maldives will facilitate the ability of the population to easily access credit and create an environment in which local small and medium businesses can thrive.

Highlighting that Maldives is keen to increase inter-regional trade within the South Asian region, he ended his speech by encouraging Sri Lankans to expand and strengthen the business partnership with Maldives to fully realize the ideal of the free flow of goods, people, and commerce in the region.