President Dissanayake to visit Maldives amid plans for landmark Regional Pact

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will make a three-day official visit to the Maldives in the last week of July, his sixth overseas tour after assuming office. The trip coincides with Sri Lanka-Maldives diplomatic relations being marked on July 29 and follows the Maldives' Independence Day on July 26.

The discussions will centre on the development of bilateral trade, regional cooperation, and economic ties, Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry sources say. The Maldives traditionally relied on Sri Lanka for health, education, and skilled labour, and Sri Lanka sees the island nation as a strategic ally in maritime security and tourism.

Most notably, the officials of both countries are in advanced discussions to establish a Maldives–Sri Lanka Free Economic and Free Movement Zone—a visionary concept that has the potential to be akin to the European Economic Area. The agreement, if it comes into being, would enable citizens to live, work, study, set up businesses, and own property in either country without visas or work permits.

The agenda also features collaboration on renewable energy, digital infrastructure, tourism promotion, and climate change resilience, reflecting a shared vision of sustainable regional development. The agreement, if it were to be proposed, would be a new start in South Asian integration and bilateral diplomacy. (Bandula)