KATHMANDU, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- Nepali President Bidya Devi Bhandari has sent a message of felicitations to Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on his assumption of office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said here.

In her message sent on Saturday, President Bhandari extended her best wishes to the president of Maldives for a successful tenure of office, the ministry said in a press statement.

According to the ministry, the Nepali president said there exists a great potential of deepening and widening Nepal-Maldives relations at bilateral, regional and international levels for advancing mutual benefit.

"President Bhandari has also expressed her willingness to working closely with the President of Maldives in the days ahead for further strengthening the cordial relations between the two countries and peoples," the statement added.

Solih was sworn in as the 7th president of the Maldives at a ceremony in the capital of Male on Saturday.