President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu met with Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, Prime Minister of Pakistan, during the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

The meeting on Monday served to reaffirm the strong and brotherly relationship between the two nations, with both leaders emphasizing shared values and mutual interests.

Discussions between President Dr Muizzu and Prime Minister Sharif focused on strengthening cooperation in various key sectors, including commerce, trade, education, and tourism.

One of the highlights of the conversation was the potential for increasing direct flights between the Maldives and Pakistan, which both leaders recognized as vital for enhancing bilateral tourism and economic ties.

The Prime Minister of Pakistan praised the Maldives' remarkable progress in tourism and expressed a keen interest in leveraging the Maldives’ expertise to develop Pakistan's own tourism sector.

Additionally, the two leaders addressed the pressing issue of climate change and explored potential adaptation strategies.

Both expressed a commitment to emphasizing the need for global climate action during their respective speeches at UNGA.

President Dr Muizzu highlighted his administration’s "5 Million Tree Project," first proposed at COP28, and discussed possible areas of collaboration with Pakistan to support this initiative.

President Dr Muizzu and Prime Minister Sharif reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening diplomatic ties and fostering deeper bilateral cooperation on issues of shared concern.

They also emphasized the importance of working together as South Asian nations to promote regional peace, prosperity, and stability.

Following the meeting, Prime Minister Sharif took to social media platform X, expressing his satisfaction with the talks.

Diplomatic relations between the Maldives and Pakistan were established on July 26, 1966, and the two nations have maintained close ties ever since.