In a ceremony conducted at Republic Square in the Maldives’ capital, Male, Dr. Mohamed Muizzu was sworn in as the eighth President of the Republic of the Maldives. Hussain Mohamed Latheef, the vice president, also took an oath of office. Ahmed Muthasim Adnan, the Chief Justice of the Maldives, administered their oath.
In September, Dr. Muizzu emerged victorious over the incumbent President, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, in the runoff elections. Former Presidents Mohamed Nasheed and Dr. Mohamed Waheed attended the ceremony in addition to Mr. Solih. Several invitees, as well as prominent international delegates, attended the inauguration. Later in the evening, at the President’s Office, there was a ceremony where the new Cabinet was sworn in and given their letters of appointment.
According to the press release, President Muizzu signed the Instrument of Oath after the oath-taking ceremony, and Mohamed Aslam, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Chief Justice also signed as witnesses. After President Muizzu took the oath of office, the National Anthem and a 21-gun salute were played.
Kiren Rijiju, the Union Minister for Earth Sciences of India, was present at the swearing-in ceremony. Mr. Rijiju travelled to the Maldives to represent India during Dr. Muizzu’s oath-taking ceremony as President. Senior representatives from the Office of the President-elect and the Maldives Ministry of Foreign Affairs received the Union Minister.
He emphasised the breadth and advancement of the bilateral relationship between India and the Maldives, which had expanded over the past several years when he met with outgoing President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. The presence of a high-ranking ministerial delegation from India at the opening ceremony demonstrates the country’s determination to strengthen the two nations’ strong people-to-people ties and substantive cooperation.
Mr. Rijiju evaluated the Greater Male Connectivity Project’s state of development as well. Under the Government of India’s concessional Line of Credit and Grant to Maldives, the project is being carried out. Its goal is to bring wealth and economic development to the Greater Male Region.
According to a statement from the MEA, the Maldives is India’s principal maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and has a special place in the prime minister’s vision for “SAGAR” (Security and Growth for All in the Region) and the “Neighbourhood First Policy.” In recent years, bilateral relations between the two countries have generally improved, particularly in the fields of security and defence.
