A delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia called on President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu at the President’s Office in Malé, in a meeting that highlighted the close and long-standing ties between the two countries. The visiting delegation was accompanied by Yahya Hassan Al-Qahtani, the Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to the Maldives.
During the call, President Muizzu conveyed his appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, and to Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud, for the Kingdom’s enduring generosity and steadfast cooperation in support of the Maldives’ socioeconomic development. The Saudi delegation, in turn, expressed its gratitude to the President and the government for the gracious welcome and warm hospitality extended to it.
Both sides reaffirmed their shared interest in continuing to strengthen the close and brotherly relations that bind the two nations. Cabinet ministers and senior officials of the President’s Office also attended the meeting.
Decades of Partnership
The Maldives and Saudi Arabia established diplomatic relations on March 17, 1981, and the bond between them has since been shaped by shared Islamic faith and cultural values. As a Sunni Muslim nation, the Maldives has long regarded the Kingdom as both a religious anchor and a key development partner. Saudi Arabia opened its embassy in Malé in 2015, while the Maldives maintains an embassy in Riyadh and a consulate in Jeddah.
Over the years, the Kingdom has become one of the Maldives’ most significant sources of development assistance, channelling support through the Saudi Fund for Development toward infrastructure, fisheries, and other projects. Among the most prominent is the expansion of Velana International Airport, the country’s main gateway. Saudi backing has also extended to religious and community initiatives, including the construction of mosques across the islands.
Relations have deepened further under President Muizzu, whose administration has placed a strong emphasis on closer ties with the Gulf. The two governments signed a memorandum of understanding on commercial and economic cooperation in October 2024, and engagement has continued through high-level exchanges, including the President’s audience with the Crown Prince during his visit to the Kingdom to perform Hajj. Officials on both sides have pointed to investment, trade, and private-sector development as areas of growing collaboration.
The latest call adds to a steady rhythm of diplomatic contact between Malé and Riyadh, reflecting what both governments describe as a partnership rooted in friendship, faith, and mutual respect.
