President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu is in Saudi Arabia to participate in the Extraordinary Joint Arab-Islamic Summit.

His official visit to Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comes upon the invitation of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud.

The Maldivian president received a warm welcome at King Khalid International Airport by the Deputy Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Abdulaziz.

According to the President's Office, during this trip the Maldivian president will participate in regional leaders' discussions on the inhumane attacks by Israeli occupation forces on Palestine and Lebanon, and other critical regional issues.

The summit's deliberations will revolve around the decisions of the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 11 November 2023.

Muizzu was scheduled to deliver a speech at the summit on Monday afternoon.

A high-level delegation is accompanying the Maldivian leader during the visit.

Just before the president’s departure, it was revealed on Sunday that work had abruptly begun on the bill to ban Israeli passports in the Maldives, which has been stalled at the People’s Majlis for over 150 days, under the president’s full control.

The bill to ban Israeli passports, proposed by the main-opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), has been stalled at the 241 Committee of the People’s Majlis where the government holds a large majority.

On October 21, when MDP submitted an urgent motion to the People's Majlis regarding the issue, Speaker Abdul Raheem Abdulla, who assumed the position with President Muizzu's endorsement, decided not to accept the motion.