Maldives has sent Freedom Day greetings to South Africa.

In a message sent to his South African counterpart Lindiwe Sisulu on Saturday, Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid extended Freedom Day greetings from the Maldivian government and people.

Noting the “close and friendly relationship” between both countries, the minister expressed his confidence that it “will continue to grow stronger in the years to come.”

While April 27 is Freedom Day in South Africa, celebrating its first post-apartheid elections held on that day in 1994, this year marks 25 years since.

In this year’s message to mark the day, the country’s president Cyril Ramaphosa noted that it “provides the nation the opportunity to reflect on how South Africa’s freedom and democracy was achieved, an on the role all South Africans can play in growing the county together in the future.”