New Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom to arrive on January 1

NEW DELHI: Newly-elected Maldivian President Yameen Abdul Gayoom will arrive on Wednesday on his first official visit after assuming office in November to discuss key bilateral and regional issues amid assertions by India that the visit will enhance ties.

Accompanied by his wife Madam Fathimath Ibrahim and a high level delegation, Yameen would meet President Pranab Mukherjee, who would also host a banquet in his honour, and hold bilateral discussions with the Prime Minister on Thursday.

"The visit would provide an opportunity to further enhance the close and multifaceted relations between India and the Maldives," the Spokesperson in the External Affairs Ministry said here today.

The Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM) leader, Yameen, the half-brother of former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, won the presidential run-off on November 16.

In the run-off, which took place after months of political turmoil in the island nation, Yameen had polled about three per cent votes higher than his rival, Mohamed Nasheed, Maldives' first democratically elected president who had to step down early 2012 in what he claimed was a coup.

In his message to Yameen after his victory, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured India's full support in his efforts to provide a peaceful and prosperous future for the people of Maldives. Yameen had responded saying that his country's relations with India were a priority and that he looked forward to an early opportunity to discuss issues of common interest.

Apart from senior Ministers including Dunya Maumoon (foreign affairs), Mohamed Hussain Shareef (President's office), Mariyam Shakeela (health and gender), Ahmed Adheeb Abdul Ghafoor (Tourism), the visiting dignitary will be accompanied by Members of Parliament, Gasim Ibrahim, Leader of the Jumhooree Party, and Ahmed Siyam Mohamed, Leader of Maldives Development Alliance.

The President of Maldives is also scheduled to visit Udaipur and Agra during his visit to India.