H.R.H. Prince Mansour bin Mutaib bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, Minister of State and Cabinet Member of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, paid a courtesy call on President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Saturday during his official visit to the Maldives as the Guest of Honour for the nation’s 61st Independence Day celebrations.
Prince Mansour is representing Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the invitation of President Muizzu.
Earlier in the day, the Saudi royal was accorded a ceremonial welcome upon his arrival in Malé before proceeding to the President’s Office for talks with the Maldivian President.
During the meeting, President Muizzu conveyed his appreciation to the Saudi leadership for accepting the invitation to participate in the Maldives’ Independence Day celebrations. He also thanked the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for its longstanding support to the Maldives across various sectors.
The President also highlighted the significance of the Makkah Route Initiative, describing it as a programme that has greatly eased the Hajj journey for Maldivian pilgrims by streamlining immigration and travel procedures before departure.
Prince Mansour, in turn, reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s continued commitment to supporting the Maldives, noting that the Kingdom’s leadership places considerable importance on the country’s development and the welfare of its people.
Discussions between the two sides also focused on further strengthening the longstanding partnership between the Maldives and Saudi Arabia. President Muizzu and Prince Mansour explored opportunities to deepen cooperation in trade, investment and other areas of mutual interest while reaffirming the close friendship shared by the two nations.
According to the President’s Office, both sides underscored that the relationship between the Maldives and Saudi Arabia continues to be anchored in shared Islamic values, mutual respect and decades of close bilateral cooperation.
The Maldives and Saudi Arabia have maintained strong diplomatic ties for decades, with the Kingdom remaining one of the Maldives’ key development partners. Saudi Arabia has supported numerous infrastructure, religious and development projects in the country, while cooperation has also expanded in areas such as tourism, investment, education and humanitarian assistance.
The Makkah Route Initiative, introduced for Maldivian pilgrims in recent years, has further strengthened bilateral ties by allowing Hajj travellers to complete Saudi immigration procedures before departing Malé, significantly reducing processing times upon arrival in the Kingdom.
Prince Mansour’s visit comes as the Maldives marks its 61st Independence Day, with the participation of the senior Saudi royal representative reflecting the close relationship between the two countries and their continued commitment to expanding cooperation in the years ahead.
