Maldives this week: 4 - 10 April 2022
Last week's key headlines.
On 10 April, the Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL) announced that the new seaplane terminal established at Velana International Airport will be opened on 15 May instead of in April.
On 10 April, ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) announced that it has commenced investigations into complaints by Member of Parliament for Maafannu Uthuru constituency Imthiyaz Fahmy alleging use of state resources and assets to influence the election for the MDP chairperson.
The Ministry of Tourism said that as of 6 April, 460,479 tourists have visited the Maldives so far in 2022, a 43.1% increase compared to the same period in 2021. The United Kingdom is in the top position, accounting for 12.7% of the total market, followed by Russia and India.
On 10 April, President Ibrhaim Mohamed Solih reiterated the government's commitment to implement equitable development of all sports in the country, in a meeting he held with members of the Racing Association of Maldives.
On 7 April, the Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company Limited (MIFCO) said that it has limited the amount of fish bought from each fishing vessel to five tonnes, given an increase in fish catch in the south beyond the company's freezing capacity.
On 7 April, the Maldives Monetary Authority announced a two-year action plan to cut down on the use of cheques in the country, with the target of reducing the use of cheques for payment by June 2024.
On 7 April, Speaker of Parliament and President of the ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) issued a statement calling on the government to revert to fulfilling the pledges made by the party in its election manifesto, specifically on the pledges made to the fisheries sector.
On 6 April, the World Health Organisation (WHO) donated a genome sequencing machine to the Maldives to assist efforts to build in-country sequencing capacity.
On 6 April, the new High Commissioner of Bangladesh to the Maldives, Rear Admiral S. M. Abdul Kalam Azad presented his credentials to President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
On 6 April, the Indian High Commission said that an additional seven projects in the Maldives will be funded under its High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP) grant assistance scheme.
On 6 April, the Ministry of Islamic Affairs said that Saudi Arabia has donated 200 iftar packages to the Maldives.
On 5 April, the Maldives established formal diplomatic ties with the Republic of Sao Tome and Principe.
On 5 April, the Ambassador of the Maldives to Malaysia Visam Ali announced her resignation. She was appointed to the post on 26 March 2019.
On 5 April, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) announced a short-term operational plan to strengthen the commission's work, which includes establishing a 12-member team to investigate recovery of monies lost to the state.
On 5 April, Member of Parliament for Maduvvari constituency Adam Shareef proposed to parliament to conduct a performance audit of parliament committees.
On 4 April, the Maldives and the United States signed a US 'State Partnership Program' to build capacity and readiness of the Maldives' defence sector.
On 4 April, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) reported that 88.01 percent of the vaccine eligible population have obtained a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 84.75% a second dose and 34.64% a third or booster dose of the vaccine.
On 4 April, the Health Protection Agency reported 665 new COVID-19 cases from 27 March to 2 April, increasing the total number of cases reported as of 2 April to 177,658.
On 4 April, Minister of Tourism Dr. Abdulla Mausoom said that 14 new resorts will become operational during the year. He also highlighted lack of access to finance as the main reason for the large number of unfinished resorts in the country.
