A digest of news and opinion from the Maldives.
Maldives has experienced its first tourist COVID-19 case as a tourist that arrived in the Maldives on 26th July 2020, tested positive for COVID-19. This is reportedly the first time a tourist has been tested positive for the virus since the borders of the country reopened on July 15. Health Emergency Operations Center (HEOC) Spokesperson […]
Ministry of Fisheries, Marine Resources, and Agriculture has revealed the provision of ‘Dhanduveri Nafa’ loan to 25 farming individuals to assist farmers to deal with the financial downturns faced by the industry and to broaden the economy. This was stated in a meeting held with Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture, Zaha Waheed, in […]
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has ratified the 17th Amendment Bill to the Export-Import Act of Maldives (Act No. 31/79), which was passed by the Parliament on 15th July at the 20th sitting of its second session. This sees an increase in the tax on all tobacco products imported to the country. The changes brought will […]
State Bank of India (SBI) has issued USD 16.20 million in loans for COVID-19 relief purposes directed at businesses operating in the Maldives, in order to support the government measures taken amid Pandemic. According to the Indian High Commission in the Maldives in addition to the loans, SBI has also deferred loan repayments for 200 […]
The government has announced its decision to delay the reopening of guesthouses in the Maldives. The guideline which has previously been prepared by the Ministry of Tourism, to restart tourism in the Maldives states all guest houses in local islands would open for tourists on the 1st of August. Regardless, Minister of Health Abdulla Ameen […]
The quarterly national accounts report publicized by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows a decline of 5.9 per cent in QGDP during the first quarter of 2020, in comparison to the first quarter of 2019. The statistics revealed by the NBS last Saturday, indicates the real GDP for (First Quarter) Q1 2020 has been […]
The number of undocumented expatriate workers living illegally in the Maldives who have been sent back home has crossed 4000. In the country, foreign employment has been a significant issue that seems to be growing over the years. Recently, it has been informed that 110,000 expatriates immigrated to the Maldives within 5 years. This is […]
The Maldives, composed of 1200 islands and a population of about 5 hundred thousand people, is highly dependent on imports, mainly for necessities such as food. However, it’s concerning that regardless of having a tourism-driven economy that earns over $3 billion annually, the island nation depends on other countries for an alarming percentage of necessities. […]
President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has delivered a televised national address this morning on the occasion of the Maldives’ 55th Anniversary of Independence. Addressing the nation, the President urged all involved in the political field to prioritise the national interest above all else. He reminded us that although we may hold different views, there are certain […]