Bilateral Relations
The Maldives co-sponsored and participated jointly with Malaysia in the establishment of the International Islamic University in Malaysia in 1983. In 1984, the two countries signed an Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation. An Air Services Agreement between the Maldives and Malaysia was signed in 1994.
Malaysia has been an important developmental partner for the Maldives who has made very significant contributions to the Maldives national developmental efforts, especially in the human resources development. Maldivian students pursuing higher education in diverse fields in various Malaysian institutes have increased considerably in recent years. Similarly, with the emergence of Malaysia as a strong and vibrant economy, more and more Maldivian entrepreneurs are visiting Malaysia seeking business ventures.
Maldives and Malaysia have always enjoyed excellent relations that have strengthened over the years through ties of Islamic religion and shared cultural values. The two Governments have been cooperating on issues of mutual concern both at the bilateral level and at multilateral fora. The establishment of a resident diplomatic mission in Kuala Lumpur reflects the growing importance the Maldives attaches to further enhancing its relations with Malaysia.