President His Excellency Dr Mohamed Muizzu has departed New York after concluding his official visit to attend the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday.

During his visit, President Dr Muizzu delivered his statement at the General Debate of the 79th UNGA. In a historic moment, the President also addressed the Security Council, marking the first time a Maldivian President has done so in the 59 years since the Maldives became a UN member. He delivered multiple statements and co-chaired several sideline events, where he highlighted key issues such as climate change, renewable energy, socio-economic challenges, and digitalisation.

The President also held various high-level bilateral meetings with Heads of Delegations to UNGA 79 and multilateral meetings, including one with the United Nations Secretary-General, His Excellency António Guterres. Additionally, he met with the Maldivian community residing in New York.

President His Excellency Dr Mohamed Muizzu met with His Excellency Winston Peters, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister of Racing of New Zealand and Head of Delegation to the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on the sidelines of the UNGA 79 in New York.

The President and the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of Racing of New Zealand engaged in discussions aimed at exploring new avenues for bilateral cooperation, including strengthening people-to-people connections, enhancing trade and investment opportunities, and leveraging the Maldives' strategic geographical location for mutual benefit. The conversation also covered pressing multilateral issues, with both parties emphasising the importance of addressing climate change and finding sustainable solutions to environmental challenges.

The upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, set to take place this October, was also highlighted as a key opportunity for collaboration on global challenges.

President His Excellency Dr Mohamed Muizzu has met with Professor Dr Muhammad Yunus, Chief Advisor of the Interim Government of Bangladesh, on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

The two leaders discussed key areas of cooperation, including people-to-people exchange programs, climate change adaptation, and strengthening ties in the blue economy and maritime transportation.

President Dr Muizzu underscored the need to enhance educational ties, particularly through exchange programs. He advocated for increased opportunities for Maldivian students, with special emphasis on internship programs for medical students to gain valuable hands-on experience in Bangladesh.