The Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs, Moosa Zameer, has announced a strategic initiative to boost the nation’s economy through enhanced tourism and investment efforts by Maldivian missions abroad. In a recent interview with the media, Zameer outlined the proactive measures being undertaken under the direction of the President to develop the country’s economic landscape.
According to Minister Zameer, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with 19 overseas offices, including Maldivian embassies and missions, are actively working to attract investments and increase tourist arrivals in the Maldives. “The President is urging us to utilise our mission staff more effectively to bolster the economy and draw investors. We are reshaping and adapting our strategies to this end. Moreover, there will be a stronger focus on destination promotion to enhance tourism in our country,” said the Minister.
In his statements, Zameer emphasised the need for Maldivian missions to be equipped to identify and tackle economic challenges. This approach includes increasing the staffing of Maldivian missions abroad to strengthen their operational capacity. He acknowledged that while there had been plans for such initiatives in the past, they had not been significantly acted upon.
Highlighting the fluctuating nature of the tourism sector, Zameer noted that the Maldives occasionally face challenges, including health crises and other external factors. “The President has advised us to prepare our missions to anticipate and manage any shocks to the industry. Consequently, we are looking to restructure Maldivian missions in Europe and other regions. For instance, we aim to enhance tourism from China by deploying more staff to this embassy. Similar efforts will be made in our missions across Europe, a shift from our previous approaches,” Zameer added.
Further expanding its diplomatic footprint, the Maldives is set to open an embassy in Türkiye, focusing on promoting trade, investment, and tourism. This move is part of a broader strategy to strengthen international ties and economic partnerships.
The President has been actively involved in fostering these international relationships, having visited Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, and China since taking office. These visits have been of paramount importance in discussing ways to enhance tourism and expand investment opportunities in the Maldives. Notably, major investors from these countries have shown a keen interest in investing in the Maldives.
