The government is pursuing two new air service agreements as part of its strategy to expand international connectivity and attract more tourists to the Maldives, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen has said.
In an exclusive interview with PSM News, Minister Ameen said the administration is focused on strengthening the tourism industry by increasing the number of international air links and making better use of the country's existing aviation agreements.
According to the minister, the government's priority is to fully utilise the traffic rights available under current air service agreements. While several challenges had previously limited the use of these rights, he said efforts are now underway to maximise their potential and open access to new tourism markets.
Ameen said the objective is not only to strengthen connections with destinations already linked to the Maldives, but also to attract visitors from new source markets through expanded flight options.
The minister also revealed that negotiations are currently underway on two additional air service agreements. Describing the discussions as complex and time-consuming, he expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved so far and said the agreements are expected to be concluded in the near future.
Air service agreements provide the legal framework for commercial flights between countries, setting out the rights and conditions under which airlines operate international services. For the Maldives, whose economy is heavily dependent on tourism, such agreements play a vital role in improving global connectivity.
They determine which foreign airlines can operate flights to the Maldives, the number of seats they are permitted to offer and the destinations they can serve. As tourism demand grows, these agreements are also expanded to improve access from key visitor markets.
Most recently, the Maldives signed an air service agreement with Ethiopia, becoming the sixth African country with which the Maldives has established such an arrangement. The agreement is expected to pave the way for direct flights between Addis Ababa and the Maldives.
The Maldives has also concluded an air service agreement with Australia, under which the national airline, Maldivian, has already commenced direct flights between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade Mohamed Saeed has called on the public to reject misinformation that could undermine confidence in the Maldivian economy.
In a social media post responding to opposition claims, Minister Saeed accused the opposition of spreading false information about rising commodity prices and attempting to create uncertainty regarding the country's economic situation.
He further alleged that the Maldivian Democratic Party was seeking to generate political unrest around the 12th and 13th of August each year.
Rejecting the opposition's claims, Saeed said fuel prices in the Maldives remain comparatively low. He noted that petrol is currently sold at USD 1.04 per litre and diesel at USD 1.13 per litre in the Maldives.
Drawing comparisons with other countries, the minister said petrol costs approximately USD 2.65 per litre in Singapore and USD 1.21 in India. Diesel, he added, is priced at around USD 2.70 per litre in Singapore, USD 1.04 in India and USD 1.04 in Dubai, illustrating that fuel prices in the Maldives remain competitive.
Saeed said the government continues to work to keep the prices of fuel and essential commodities stable despite significant external pressures, including the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. He also attributed some of the country's economic challenges to the previous administration's decision to print USD 518.8 million, which he said weakened the value of the Maldivian currency.
The minister criticised what he described as politically motivated attempts to create public anxiety and expressed disappointment over statements made by former leaders that, in his view, risk causing unnecessary panic among citizens.
Defending the administration's economic agenda, Saeed said the government is implementing a broad range of measures to strengthen and revive the economy. These include introducing a residency visa programme, developing townships, attracting major foreign investments and launching bunkering services.
He added that if the opposition disagrees with the government's economic strategy, it should present practical alternative solutions rather than criticising the administration's initiatives.
