An agreement has been signed between the governments of the Maldives and Finland to start flight operations between the two countries.

The agreement was signed this morning by the Foreign Minister of Finland, Pekka Haavisto and the Maldivian Foreign Minister, Abdulla Shahid, as part of his ongoing visit to Finland.

The Finnish Ambassador to the Maldives said that that the agreement is going to facilitate direct flights between Helsinki and the Maldivian capital.

Maldivian Foreign Ministry said that “the agreement will allow international commercial air transport services between Maldives and Finland, enhancing the people to people contact as well as the broader economic cooperation between both countries.”

At the meeting today, the two ministers reiterated commitment to further strengthen the bilateral partnership between the two countries in areas such as economic and trade cooperation, education, climate change along with sustainable development and counter-terrorism.

Minister Shahid arrived in Finland on Wednesday and is being accompanied by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ahmed Khaleel, Non-Resident Ambassador of the Republic of Maldives to the Republic of Finland, Ahmed Latheef, Minister of State for Economic Development, Mohamed Iaad Hameed and the Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shiuneen Rasheed.