Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed holds talks with Maldives president

Tackling the pandemic and bolstering trade between the two countries was high on the agenda

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - January 04, 2021: HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces (R), meets with HE Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Maldives (L), at Al Shati Palace.

( Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs )
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Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed , Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces (R), meets Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Maldives (L), at Al Shati Palace. Mohamed Al Hammadi / Ministry of Presidential Affairs

The National

Jan 04, 2021

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed held talks with the President of the Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, during his visit to the UAE.

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces hosted the South Asian island nation's leader at Al Shati Palace in the capital.

They discussed efforts to bolster ties between the two countries and develop partnerships in keys sectors such as trade, investment and the economy.

The Covid-19 pandemic also featured high on the agenda during the high-level meeting.

Heba Hashem and Olufemi Adefowoba spent five nights sleeping in Velana International Airport on Male, the Maldivian capital and 100 nights in hotels. They eventually managed to hire a private plane with five other tourists to take them to Colombo, where they caught an Emirates flight home to Dubai. Courtesy: Heba Hashem

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Mr Solih thanked Sheikh Mohamed for the medical assistance provided to his country during the pandemic.

In June, the UAE delivered 72 tonnes of crucial medical supplies to the Maldives to assist more than 70,000 health workers in the fight against Covid-19.

As of Monday, the Maldives has recorded 13,867 Covid-19 cases, with 48 deaths.

Sheikh Mohamed conveyed his best wishes to the people of the Maldives.

The meeting was attended by several UAE dignitaries, including Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad, chairman of Abu Dhabi Airports, and Mohamed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, undersecretary of the Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi.