Rwanda and Maldives, on Friday, May 5, signed a deal that will see their citizens enjoy visa exemption when traveling to the two countries.

"Pleased to sign the Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption between Maldives and Rwanda. Look forward to increased people-to-people contact and bilateral cooperation between Maldives and Rwanda," tweeted Abdulla Shahid, Maldives' Minister of Foreign Affairs, after signing the agreement with his Rwandan counterpart, Vincent Biruta.

Pleased to sign the Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption between #Maldives and #Rwanda. Look forward to increased people-to-people contact and bilateral cooperation between Maldives and Rwanda. pic.twitter.com/6FEhaWbCF1-- Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) May 5, 2023

The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, is an archipelagic state in South Asia, situated in the Indian Ocean. It lies southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about 750 kilometres from the Asian continent's mainland.

The country is famous for a number of reasons, including its pristine beaches, sprawling greenery, and fascinating landmarks which are major tourist attractions.

In the past few years, Rwanda has inked a number of deals to facilitate visa exemption between it and countries of the world. For instance, beginning January 1, 2018, travellers from across the world began receiving a 30-day visa upon arrival following the establishment of a new visa regime.

The move was subject to reciprocation by countries across the world further increasing Rwanda's access to other countries.

According to the 2023 Henley global mobility ranking, Rwandan citizens can travel to 61 global destinations visa free, making the country's passport the 83rd most powerful globally.

There are at least 27 countries to which Rwandan passport holders can travel visa-free while 34 others only require visa on arrival.