Putrajaya: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today hosted an official luncheon in honour of visiting Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu at the Seri Perdana Complex here. Muizzu and his delegation, who arrived in Malaysia yesterday for a four-day official visit, were welcomed at the Prime Minister's official residence at 11.25 am. Upon arrival, Muizzu was greeted with a cheerful "Welcome to Malaysia" from 70 schoolchildren of Sekolah Kebangsaan Presint 9(2).

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the luncheon was attended by several key Malaysian ministers, including Defence Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz, and Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh. The event followed a bilateral meeting that reviewed Malaysia-Maldives relations, especially in areas such as trade and investment, the halal industry, education, tourism, and youth and sports.

The meeting saw the exchange of three Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and two Exchanges of Notes (EoNs) focusing on tourism, sports cooperation, and health. These agreements are expected to further enhance the collaborative efforts between Malaysia and the Maldives, reflecting the commitment of both nations to deepen their partnership.

Anwar and Muizzu are later scheduled to attend the Maldives-Malaysia Business Forum at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. This event is part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen economic ties between the two countries. In 2024, Malaysia's total trade with Maldives increased by 4.3 per cent to RM862.7 million (US$189 million) from RM827.3 million (US$180.9 million) in 2023, making the archipelagic state Malaysia's sixth-largest trading partner among South Asian countries.