Speaker of the People's Majlis Hon. Mohamed Aslam held a productive meeting with Speaker Sahiba Gafarova of the Azerbaijani Parliament at the Milli Majlis, focusing on enhancing bilateral relations between the two parliaments.

During the meeting, both speakers emphasised the importance of strengthening bilateral relations and fostering closer ties between Maldives and Azerbaijan. Speaker Hon. Mohamed Aslam proposed the establishment of a parliamentary friendship group to facilitate exchange visits, promoting dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.

The Azerbaijani Speaker expressed interest in bolstering relations with all Asian Parliamentary Association (APA) countries, leading to a discussion on Maldives potentially joining the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) parliamentary network. Speaker Mohamed Aslam confirmed his participation and intent to join the network during the upcoming NAM meeting in Geneva in March, coinciding with the sideline of the IPU 148th Assembly.

Furthermore, Speaker Hon. Mohamed Aslam provided insights into the composition of the People's Majlis, highlighting the importance of gender representation and expressing the desire for increased female MPs. He also discussed the quota system for councils and provided an overview of political party representation in parliamentary committees.

The meeting concluded with discussions on exploring opportunities for mutual benefit, particularly in areas of trade, tourism, and other investments. Both speakers expressed optimism about the prospects for enhanced parliamentary cooperation and friendship between Maldives and Azerbaijan.