ISLAMABAD: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu will arrive in Pakistan next week for an official visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties, the Pakistani foreign ministry said on Sunday, with trade, investment and economic cooperation expected to feature prominently in talks with Pakistani leadership.

Pakistan and the Maldives share long-standing diplomatic ties dating back to July 1966, rooted in Islamic brotherhood and mutual participation in forums like the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation.

President Muizzu will undertake a state visit to Pakistan on Oct. 20-22 on the invitation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The president will be accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level delegation comprising cabinet ministers and senior officials.

“He will also hold restricted and delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement.

“The two leaders will review the entire spectrum of bilateral relations and explore avenues for further strengthening cooperation in trade, investment, health, education, tourism, agriculture, defense, maritime security, climate change and people-to-people exchanges.”

Both sides will also exchange views on regional and international developments of mutual interest.

The visit will also feature a Pakistan–Maldives Business Forum, aimed at promoting greater interaction between the business communities of the two countries and exploring new opportunities for trade and investment, according to the statement.

A number of agreements and Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) covering diverse areas of bilateral cooperation are expected to be signed during the visit.

The is the first visit by a Maldivian president to Pakistan in eleven years and has assumed special significance as the two countries commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1966, the statement said.

“The forthcoming visit reflects the shared commitment of both countries to further strengthening their bilateral partnership and opening new avenues of mutually beneficial cooperation,” it read.