President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday said his administration’s top priority is improving the living standards of ordinary Maldivians by increasing take-home income, expanding access to housing, and making essential goods more affordable.
Speaking at the headquarters of the People’s National Congress, Muizzu said the government is pursuing what he described as a “comprehensive economic policy” aimed at easing financial pressures on citizens while simultaneously managing the country’s debt obligations.
“My focus is on finding ways to increase the take-home income of every citizen, ensuring basic housing for everyone, and making essential goods affordable,” the president said during his address.
Muizzu stated that the administration had settled nearly USD 974 million in debt over the past 40 days, including payments linked to the Maldives’ international Sukuk. He claimed the government had also managed to release mortgaged state assets tied to those liabilities.
According to the president, the government’s economic strategy is intended to stabilize the country after inheriting what he described as a severe financial crisis from the previous administration. He said the policies being implemented would ultimately improve affordability and increase public access to goods and services.
The president also highlighted ongoing housing projects across the Maldives, claiming his administration would become “the government that secures housing for the largest number of citizens in history.”
Muizzu criticized previous governments for launching housing projects near election periods without completing them. Referring to the Hiyaa housing scheme, he said unfinished projects inherited from earlier administrations are now being completed while new housing developments are underway on multiple islands.
On foreign policy, Muizzu reiterated his government’s “Maldives First” approach, saying the administration had moved away from dependence on any single foreign partner and strengthened ties with both regional and global powers.
The president additionally defended his administration’s policies on religion, migration, gangs, and drugs, while accusing the opposition of lacking policy alternatives and resorting to “personal attacks and character assassination.”
Muizzu said his government remains committed to protecting Islam, combating corruption, tackling undocumented migration, and strengthening action against narcotics trafficking and gang-related crime.
Concluding his speech, the president thanked PNC supporters and pledged to continue governing within the framework of Islam and the Constitution while prioritizing national interests.
