Pres to visit Saudi Arabia on Thur; trade pact talks to begin
Saudi Arabia's cabinet on Tuesday approved the start of talks to sign a trade agreement with Maldives.
President Mohamed Muizzu is scheduled to leave for Saudi Arabia on Thursday on his first official visit.
The president will start his official visit to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, top government officials confirmed on Wednesday. However, the details of the visit have not yet been released by the President's Office.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's cabinet on Tuesday approved the start of talks to sign a trade agreement with Maldives.
At the cabinet meeting chaired by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz, the cabinet authorised Faisal bin Fadhil Alibrahim, Minister of Economy and Planning, to negotiate and sign the trade deal with the Maldives' economic ministry.
Maldives' new finance minister Dr Mohamed Shafiq told the parliament's budget review committee on Monday that the government plans to raise funds from abroad for budget support, mainly from Middle Eastern countries.
The MVR 6.5 billion supplementary budget, which has been approved by parliament, requires $200 million from abroad.
The president is expected to visit the UAE after his visit to Saudi Arabia.
