Seven MoUs exchanged between Maldives and Sri Lanka

05-May-2026

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A ceremony to exchange seven Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between Sri Lanka and the Maldives, covering cooperation in several sectors, was held at the Presidential Secretariat on May 4 in the presence of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Maldivian President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu.

Marking a new chapter in bilateral relations, the MoUs were exchanged in the fields of health, sports, tourism, education and defence.

Accordingly, an MoU on cooperation in the tourism sector between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Maldives was exchanged by Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath.

An MoU on archival cooperation between the National Archives Department of Sri Lanka and the National Archives of the Maldives was also exchanged by Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam and Minister Vijitha Herath.

MoUs on training and professional development for teachers and school leaders, between the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development of the Maldives and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka, were exchanged by Iruthisham Adam and Minister Vijitha Herath.

An MoU on sports and youth development between the Republic of Maldives and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was exchanged by Iruthisham Adam and Sri Lanka’s Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage.

For defence sector cooperation, an MoU between the Maldives National Counter Terrorism Centre and the Ministry of Defence of Sri Lanka was exchanged between Maldives High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Masood Imad and Sri Lanka’s Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal (Retd.) Sampath Thuyacontha.

Another MoU between the Maldives Ministry of Defence and National Service and the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University of Sri Lanka was exchanged by High Commissioner Masood Imad and the Vice Chancellor of the University, Rear Admiral Dammika Kumara.

An MoU on educational cooperation between the University of Colombo and the Ministry of Health, Family and Welfare of the Maldives was exchanged by High Commissioner Masood Imad and University of Colombo Vice Chancellor Professor Indika Mahesh Karunathilake.

The MoUs aim to further strengthen economic, cultural and social relations and consolidate multi-sectoral cooperation between the two countries. The official visit by President Muizzu was undertaken at the invitation of President Dissanayake.

The event was attended by Maldivian Cabinet Ministers, senior officials and members of the Maldivian delegation, along with Sri Lankan Ministers and officials representing both countries.