Dr. Ali Haidar, the Maldives’ Minister of Housing, Land, and Urban Development, has decided to cut short his official visit to Thailand following a fire that broke out in the building housing his ministry. The minister was attending the United Nations’ ninth session of the Committee on Statistics when the incident occurred.
The affected building hosts multiple offices, including those of the Housing Ministry, Environment Ministry, Construction and Infrastructure Ministry, along with the Male’ City Council. Concerned by the rapid spread of the fire, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Fire and Rescue team has been deployed to the site to manage and contain the situation.
In a press release, the Housing Ministry assured the public that important documents related to its housing schemes, such as the Binveriyaa housing initiative, are securely stored digitally in the cloud and have not been impacted by the fire.
The statement further noted, “We are consulting with relevant authorities on measures to ensure safety and security moving forward,” highlighting their commitment to addressing the incident and reinforcing safety protocols in the future. Minister Haidar is expected to return to the Maldives promptly to oversee the situation and coordinate efforts for recovery and safety.
