The Foreign Minister, Abdulla Shahid has left for Brunei on an official visit to Brunei.

A statement issued by the Maldivian Foreign Ministry said that Minister Shahid will have an audience with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan and Yang Di Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam.

The Minister will also meet Dato Seri Setia Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II, Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Hamzah bin Haji Sulaiman, Minister of Education and Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mohammad Isham bin Haji Jafaar, Minister of Health during his visit.

During the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs II, Minister will discuss about consolidating the existing bilateral ties and cooperation at Multilateral front.

And while five Maldivian students are now studying in Brunei, Minister Shahid will discuss on getting more scholarship opportunities for Maldivian students.

The Maldives and the Brunei have a close relations since Brunei gained independence. And so, in 1987, then President of Maldives, Maumoon Abdul Gayoom took part in the Brunei Independence Day celebrations. And the Brueni government donated USD 3 million to the development of the Islamic Center in Male’ City.

Maldivian Foreign Ministry said that the relationship with Brunei have been neglected since 1999 and no high-level officials have visited the other country in the past 21 years.

Both Brueni and the Maldives are Commonwealth and OIC members. The Maldives established bilateral relations with Brunei on 31 March 1984.