Incoming President Dr Mohamed Muizzu departed on an unofficial visit to Abu Dhabi on Monday morning. This private trip is facilitated by the United Arab Emirates, which provided a government jet for the president-elect’s travel, according to the Office of the President-elect.
Mohamed Firuzul Abdulla Khaleel, spokesperson for the president-elect, disclosed that the costs for the visit are being borne entirely by the Abu Dhabi government. Nonetheless, the details surrounding the objectives and the length of the stay in the UAE have been kept under wraps, including information on who might be accompanying Muizzu.
The visit to Abu Dhabi follows closely on the heels of the president-elect’s recent unofficial sojourn to Singapore with his family. As the nation anticipates the presidential inauguration set for November 17, President-elect Muizzu’s itinerary remains a point of interest, particularly as his first official state visit post-inauguration is yet to be announced.
There is a high level of anticipation as both the Maldivian public and international observers are keen to discern the foreign policy directions of the new president. According to observers, the president-elect’s current engagements and the gestures of goodwill from the UAE may offer some insights into future alliances and diplomatic interactions.