Speaking on the development of atolls with limited tourism activity, the president noted that work has commenced to develop HDh. Naagoashi specifically for this purpose.
The President's Office
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has stated that work will soon commence in all underserved atolls with the lowest levels of tourism, with the aim of increasing bed capacity and employment opportunities so that local communities can benefit economically.
The President made these remarks at the ‘Rayyithunnaa Eku Kuriah – Hafthaa 104’ official function, held this evening at the Youth Centre to mark the Administration’s second anniversary. He was accompanied by First Lady Sajidha Mohamed.
In his address, the President highlighted that a total of 6,223 tourism beds have been registered to date as part of efforts to expand the industry. Speaking on the development of atolls with limited tourism activity, he noted that work has commenced to develop HDh. Naagoashi specifically for this purpose.
Regarding Addu City, the President announced that the owners of Shangri-La have assured that the resort will reopen by the end of this year. He further confirmed that the agreement for the Asseyri Tourism project has been formalised, and that the investor for the Hankede project is expected to settle the lease acquisition cost and sign the agreement soon. Additionally, he observed that, following Government incentives to expand tourism nationwide, numerous parties have submitted bids and are progressing through the various stages of the process.
Turning to the fisheries sector, the President remarked that fishermen were previously neglected, but the Government has since prioritised their welfare. He detailed that numerous ice plants have been repaired, new plants opened on four islands, and work is underway on six others. He also noted that Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) systems have been installed on many vessels through loan schemes, and that the Bank of Maldives (BML) has opened opportunities for additional RSW installations.
The President stated that cold storage capacity, which stood at 9,500 tonnes at the start of the term, is projected to increase to 24,500 tonnes by the end of his five-year tenure. He highlighted the ongoing development of GA. Kooddoo and affirmed that the Administration has cleared over MVR 200 million in outstanding payments to fishermen inherited from the previous government, and that since 10 December 2024, payments have been made consistently without interruption. Furthermore, he noted that the State Trading Organisation (STO) has assured that fuel skids will be established by the end of March 2026 on all islands previously announced by the Government.
The ceremony was attended by Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef, Speaker of Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla, Members of Parliament, Cabinet Ministers, State dignitaries, and senior Government officials.
