The newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Maldives,  Yahya Hassan Alhqahtani, formally presented his Letter of Credence to President Dr Mohamed Muizzu at a ceremony held on Sunday morning at the President’s Office.

The Ambassador was accorded a traditional welcome and escorted in a cultural procession known as Haiykolhu, accompanied by the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Drum and Trumpet Band, from Republic Square to the President’s Office.

During the subsequent meeting, President Muizzu and Ambassador Alhqahtani engaged in discussions on key areas of mutual interest and cooperation.

The President expressed heartfelt gratitude for Saudi Arabia’s steadfast support to the Maldives and praised the close and brotherly ties shared between the two nations.

He especially highlighted the contributions of The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman, and the people and government of Saudi Arabia.

President Muizzu also extended his sincere thanks for the Maldives’ inclusion in the Makkah Route Initiative.

He commended the initiative for facilitating a smoother pilgrimage process for Maldivian pilgrims and welcomed ongoing efforts to enhance the programme.

Ambassador Alhqahtani, in turn, conveyed appreciation for the warm reception and reaffirmed his commitment to further deepening the longstanding bilateral relationship between Saudi Arabia and the Maldives.

Diplomatic ties between the two countries were formally established on March 17, 1981.