MALAYSIA, MALDIVES RENEW EXPIRED HEALTH COOPERATION AGREEMENT

PUTRAJAYA, April 28 (Bernama) -- Malaysia and the Maldives today renewed a health cooperation agreement that expired in 2023.

The MoU renewal on this  supports continued collaboration in areas such as resource development, knowledge exchange, medical technology, pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, health information technology, food safety, and health tourism.

It reflects both countries’ commitment to high-quality, standards-based healthcare aligned with technological progress.

Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad and Maldives Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Abdulla Khaleel signed the renewal of the MoU in a ceremony held at the Perdana Putra building here, witnessed by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Maldives President Dr Mohamed Muizzu.

The ceremony was part of Muizzu’s four-day official visit to Malaysia, which began yesterday.

A second MoU inked includes cooperation in sports, which aims to enhance collaboration based on reciprocity.

It includes promoting participation in sporting events, exchanging information through seminars, developing sports facilities, facilitating athlete and coach exchanges, and cooperating in anti-doping, sports medicine and promoting sports for all.

Meanwhile, an MoU on Tourism Cooperation outlining a comprehensive framework for collaboration in several key areas of mutual interest marks a significant step in strengthening Malaysia-Maldives ties. 

These include joint promotion and marketing of tourism destinations, exchange of expertise and capacity-building through training programmes, development of Muslim-friendly tourism offerings, advancement of business events tourism, promotion of ecotourism, and support for community-based tourism initiatives.

The signing of this MoU also marks a significant milestone in Malaysia–Maldives relations and reaffirms the shared commitment of both countries to promote sustainable tourism development. 

Separately, two Exchange on Notes (EoN) touch on the establishment of Bilateral Consultation between Malaysia and Maldives' Foreign Affairs Ministries.

These consultations aim to enhance and strengthen cooperation in key areas such as political, economic, and social relations, as well as to facilitate discussions on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

The EoN on the Training of Diplomats, which is the establishment of cooperation between Malaysia and the Maldives in the field of diplomatic training, is set to be carried out through Malaysia’s Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations and the Maldives’ Foreign Service Institute. 

This initiative aims to strengthen professional development and capacity-building for diplomats from both countries through a framework of mutual understanding, without creating any legally binding obligations.

-- BERNAMA