President: Dubai Expo is a golden opportunity to further solidify Maldives-UAE relations

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that the Expo 2020 in Dubai is a golden opportunity to further solidify the longstanding bilateral relations between Maldives and UAE.

Speaking at the official ceremony held at Expo 2020 to mark the National Day of Maldives – President Solih underscored the longstanding bilateral relations between Maldives and UAE – adding that UAE has always been a significant development partner to the Maldives. Noting that the two nations have often come together on common positions in the international arena – President Solih said that he hoped the two countries will continue to foster these ties.

He also commended the leadership of UAE for hosting the well-planned Expo, gathering over 192 countries to one place; a feat that is even more impressive as an event of such magnitude is being held as the world recovers from one of the worst pandemics in the world history.

In his remarks – President Solih also stressed that lasting development relationships are built via people-to-people contact, hence, the objective for the participation in the Expo being exploring new solutions to overlapping global challenges as done before as well.

“We must aim to unleash the full potential of the expo. Let actions speak louder than words at this global gathering to address the pervasive, wicked problems of our time. From food insecurity to extreme hunger - pollution to habitat loss –cyberterrorism to financial shocks – we need to ramp up our ambitions and pool our resources to lift each other up as we work towards a greener, resilient and sustainable future in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” he had said.

President Solih also explained that Maldives utilized the Maldives Pavilion and the opportunities extended to the country by the Expo to exhibit its natural beauty, heritage and culture, while also focusing on challenges faced as a small island state.

On his trip to UAE to attend Expo 2020 – President Solih is joined by the First Lady.

They will conclude their visit to UAE on Wednesday. 

The First Lady will return to the Maldives, while the President will travel directly from Dubai to Glasgow, Scotland, to participate in the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26), which will begin in November.