WEF Roundtable Highlights Strategies Maldives Can Tap for Economic Resilience

At a time of growing uncertainty in global trade, supply chains and investment flows, the World Economic Forum’s inaugural Resilience Leaders’ Roundtable, held on 7 July 2025, offered a clear message: resilient growth in emerging markets will depend on deeper collaboration between businesses, governments and multilateral institutions.

The virtual gathering, which will be followed by in-person sessions in Davos and Riyadh in 2026, brought together key players from international organisations and the private sector to chart a course for economic resilience and innovation in high-potential regions. The discussions centred on four key themes: strengthening local supply chains, incentivising private investment, unlocking capital and accelerating coordinated action.

Relevance for the Maldives

- Advertisement -

For a country like Maldives, a small island economy navigating climate vulnerability, limited fiscal space and a narrow economic base, the strategies discussed are timely and highly relevant. The country has long relied on tourism and imports, leaving it exposed to global shocks, as we’ve seen and experienced so many times. As the government works to expand sectors such as logistics, fisheries, construction and renewable energy, the need for resilient infrastructure, investment-friendly regulation and long-term planning has never been more urgent.

Local Solutions and Private Sector Engagement

A key takeaway from the roundtable was the importance of embedding resilience at the local level. Private companies that align with community needs and take the lead in adapting supply chains to local contexts are better positioned to handle disruptions. In the Maldives, where local councils and island communities are central to service delivery, this model holds particular promise. Developing regional logistics hubs or decentralised cold storage networks for fisheries, for example, could help the country address both resilience and development goals.

Encouraging Investment Through Reform

The roundtable also highlighted the need for governments to create enabling conditions for private sector growth. Regulatory reform, transparent processes and investor protections were highlighted as vital. With ongoing efforts in the Maldives reform state-owned enterprises and attract more foreign direct investment, the country can take cues from the success stories discussed at the event such as Saudi Arabia’s investment reforms.

Attracting FDI to strategic sectors like renewable energy and digital infrastructure could not only enhance resilience but also generate long-term value in line with the country’s development goals.

Bridging the Finance Gap

Access to capital remains a challenge for many small and emerging economies. The roundtable pointed to the role of multilateral development banks in providing early-stage project preparation, supporting enabling legislation and acting as anchor investors. For the Maldives, partnering with these institutions and exploring blended finance options can help unlock investment in critical areas such as transport, housing and renewable energy, particularly in outer atolls where private capital is often scarce.

The discussion also stressed the importance of legal clarity, local capital market development and data transparency. For the Maldives, establishing consistent investment policies and improving access to economic data can help build investor confidence and reduce perceived risk.

As part of the Forum’s Resilience Consortium, the roundtable concluded with a call to action to convert high-level dialogue into tangible initiatives. For the Maldives, participating in such platforms offers an opportunity to shape and benefit from collective solutions that speak to the realities of small island states.

With rising debt levels, climate pressures and global uncertainty, the country’s long-term resilience will depend not only on how it adapts internally but also on how effectively it engages with global frameworks and partnerships.

- Advertisement -