On Friday, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, the former President of the Maldives, visited Sri Lanka for personal reasons.
Accompanying him was Faris Maumoon. During their visit, the two met with Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe at his office to discuss strengthening their bilateral ties.
Gayoom expressed his gratitude for the strong bond Sri Lanka had with the Maldives during his presidency.
Wickremesinghe reciprocated by thanking the Maldives government for their support during Sri Lanka’s economic crisis of 2021.
The former Maldives president was presented with the ‘Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana’ in 2008, Sri Lanka’s highest honour reserved for non-citizens and heads of state or government with whom they maintain friendly relations.
Who is Maumoon Abdul Gayoom?
- Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was the President of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008.
- He was the longest-serving leader of a Muslim nation in the world at the time of his retirement.
- He is credited with transforming the Maldives from a poor, underdeveloped backwater into a modern, prosperous nation.
- He was a reformer and a unifier, and his policies pushed the Maldives forward into the modern era.
- He is remembered fondly by many Maldivians and is widely respected for his commitment to peace and progress.
