President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced that the Maldives has formally withdrawn its 2022 letter supporting Mauritius’ position on the Chagos Archipelago, marking a significant recalibration of the country’s foreign policy.
The decision was revealed during the President’s Address at the opening of the first session of Parliament, where President Muizzu confirmed that his administration has revoked the letter sent on 22 August 2022 by the previous government. That communication had expressed support for a United Nations General Assembly resolution seeking an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the legal implications of the separation of the Chagos Archipelago from Mauritius in 1965.
In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister of Mauritius, President Muizzu stated that the earlier position taken by the Maldives had adversely affected national interests, particularly in relation to ongoing proceedings before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) concerning the delimitation of the maritime boundary between the Maldives and Mauritius in the Indian Ocean.
The President noted that, since assuming office in November 2023, his administration has carried out a thorough review of decisions made by the former government during the course of the case. According to the government, the previous shift in position was abrupt, lacked sufficient justification, and was undertaken without proper procedural safeguards.
Citing his constitutional mandate, President Muizzu announced that a national inquiry will be established to investigate the circumstances surrounding the matter.
The government also highlighted what it describes as historical evidence linking the Maldives to Foalhavahi, an area within the Chagos Archipelago. This includes references to a 16th-century royal decree asserting Maldivian sovereignty, as well as longstanding maritime and cultural connections in the region.
Despite withdrawing the letter, President Muizzu reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to maintaining constructive relations with Mauritius and the wider international community. He stressed that the government remains committed to pursuing a fair and lawful resolution, while safeguarding regional stability in the Indian Ocean and protecting the long-term interests of the Maldivian people.
In the same address, President Muizzu stated that the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) will continue to monitor and safeguard the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in accordance with existing laws and presidential directives. He reaffirmed that the EEZ, as defined under the Maritime Zones Act, remains unchanged, including areas subject to maritime disputes.
The Ministry of Defence clarified that while the Constitution places responsibility for maintaining the independence and security of Maldivian territory with the President, the MNDF will consider the EEZ to be the maritime area defined under national law when carrying out its constitutional and statutory duties.
Under Maldivian law, national territory includes all land and islands, internal and archipelagic waters within established baselines, the airspace above them, and the seabed and subsoil beneath. The territorial sea extends up to 12 nautical miles from these baselines, while the EEZ stretches up to 200 nautical miles beyond the territorial sea.
Apart from the 1976 agreement on the determination of the tri-junction point in the Gulf of Mannar with neighbouring states located less than 200 nautical miles north of the Maldives, the country has not entered into any agreements that would compromise its EEZ.
The Defence Ministry reiterated that the Armed Forces Act assigns the MNDF responsibility for defending the Maldives’ sovereignty, independence, and national interests, including the protection of the EEZ. It assured the public that the MNDF will continue to carry out its duties with dedication and in full accordance with the law.
As part of these efforts, a special surveillance operation has been launched using the MNDF Coast Guard vessel Dharumavantha alongside Air Corps drone assets to monitor the southern EEZ. Over the past two years, the government has also enhanced defence capabilities through the deployment of modern sea and air platforms and the expansion of maritime patrol resources.
The three-hour Presidential Address was attended by Cabinet members, members of the diplomatic corps, and senior government officials. During the address, President Muizzu outlined a wide range of policy initiatives aimed at improving public welfare, including plans to develop ten new tourist resorts and a proposal to distribute USD 400 per person to the population, with citizens mandated to become shareholders in the initiative.
