Former president Abdulla Yameen said any future government, whether his or the MDP’s, would annul the Eagle Hills agreement for Rasmalé without paying compensation and would prosecute everyone involved, speaking at a rally against the deal at Malé's artificial beach on Friday night. He called on PNC members, MPs, police and soldiers to speak out. Campaign spokesman Ali Hussain said settling foreigners was not in the PNC’s 2023 manifesto. He said the president has a a constitutional duty to hold a referendum. Sheikh Imran Abdulla accused ministers of taking bribes from Eagle Hills. MDP MP Mauroof Zakir said the “Maldivian land for Maldivians” campaign would not stop until the project was halted or put to a vote. Turnout estimates ranged from 600 to 6,000.
Police warned on Friday afternoon that they would halt the rally if participants broke the law. They said organisers had shared no information about crowd safety or traffic disruption, and urged that the gathering stay within areas where no prior notice is required. After meeting police, the organisers said they had given assurances it would be peaceful and end by 10:30pm. They also invited PNC members and off-duty police and soldiers, to attend.
President Muizzu launched a five-year “National Respect Initiative” on Saturday night. The campaign aims to revive mutual respect and build a “civilised society grounded in Islamic principles”, free from ridicule, backbiting and lying. Speaking at the ceremony at the Maafannu stadium track, Muizzu said national development needed a change in mindset as well as new infrastructure, and he named punctuality as a value prized by earlier generations. The arts and culture ministry will oversee the campaign.
The Civil Service Commission wrote to permanent secretaries asking them to ensure that all civil servants in their offices attended the Respect campaign launch, Adhadhu reported. Heads of state-owned companies also told staff to attend and took attendance, Adhadhu said, citing sources. The government plans to mark a national respect day every year.
The Adhaalath Party voted to join President Muizzu’s government for the rest of his term and to back him for re-election in 2028 in a coalition with the ruling PNC. The party’s consultative council passed the resolution on Saturday night by 41 votes of the 47 members eligible to vote at the meeting. It accepted an invitation from Muizzu and authorised party president Sheikh Mohamed Shifan to sign a coalition agreement once the terms are set. Some Adhaalath members will be given senior government posts, Adhadhu reported, citing government and party sources.
More than 7,000 people are being treated for diabetes, the Health Protection Agency said on World Diabetes Day on Saturday. Hospital records up to 30 October show about 7,000 people with type 2 diabetes and 300 with type 1, and around 250 women a year are treated for gestational diabetes. Non-communicable diseases cause about 85 per cent of deaths and diabetes is the third-biggest killer among them, the HPA said. It plans to introduce a diabetes management protocol and strengthen screening at primary health care centres under a national action plan that runs to 2031.
HPA warned of a rise in reported cases of influenza and the common cold, and urged people to wash their hands often with soap. Flu symptoms include a blocked or runny nose, sore throat, fever, body aches and fatigue.
The pension fund’s assets passed MVR30 billion (US$1.9 billion) this year, reaching MVR30.3 billion at the end of September, Pension Office CEO Yazmeedh Mohamed told the Maldives Finance Forum on Saturday. Speaking at the forum on green finance, which his office organised with UNDP, Yazmeedh said “green investment does not mean abandoning financial discipline”. Every investment must have its risks assessed and be shown to be profitable, he said. Finance Minister Hassan Zareer called climate risk “economic risk”, and said the target of generating a third of the country’s energy from renewables by 2028 would require major investment. He also welcomed the accreditation of MFLC as the first Maldivian entity with direct access to the Green Climate Fund.
