President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced decisive legal action to recover a portion of the Maldives’ southern Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) lost following a ruling by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), while formally moving to reverse a key 2022 decision taken by the previous administration concerning the Chagos Islands, including Foalhavahi.
Addressing the People’s Majlis during the Presidential Address 2026, President Muizzu described the loss of maritime territory as one of the gravest sovereignty challenges faced by the Maldives in recent history, stressing that no part of Maldivian land or sea should ever be relinquished.
The President explained that the loss followed a case filed by Mauritius during the tenure of the previous government, which claimed an overlap between the Maldivian EEZ and the Chagos Archipelago. He stated that the manner in which the former administration participated in the proceedings resulted in the surrender of a substantial portion of the Maldives’ southern maritime zone.
In response, President Muizzu instructed the Attorney General on November 19, 2023, to conduct a comprehensive legal review and initiate all necessary steps to reclaim the surrendered maritime area. A three-member coordination committee was subsequently formed with support from internationally recruited legal experts. The committee submitted its findings on January 22, 2024, and a Cabinet paper incorporating its recommendations was presented to the Council of Ministers on January 25, 2026. Following deliberations, the Cabinet approved formal legal action, which is now being implemented.
A key development highlighted by President Muizzu was the decision to reverse the position taken by the previous administration in a letter dated August 22, 2022, sent by then President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to the Prime Minister of Mauritius. According to international legal experts advising the government, the letter weakened the Maldives’ legal position in safeguarding its sovereign maritime rights. President Muizzu stated that his administration has now taken steps to revert that decision as part of the broader effort to reclaim the lost EEZ.
President Muizzu reaffirmed that Foalhavahi, geographically located within the Chagos Islands, has long-standing historical, legal, and cultural ties to the Maldives. He noted that official documents issued by the Maldivian Monarchy included Foalhavahi within Maldivian sovereign boundaries, and that the waters surrounding the atolls have been integral to Maldivian fishing and maritime activity for generations.
The President confirmed that the Maldives has formally objected to the United Kingdom decision to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. These objections were communicated in writing on November 8, 2024, and January 18, 2026. He also raised the matter directly during an online call on December 15, 2025, with UK Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy, expressing the Maldives’ desire for consultations on the issue.
The Maldives has also consistently raised its objections in international forums and has formally conveyed concerns to Mauritius and the International Union for Conservation of Nature, warning that economic exploitation of the Foalhavahi region could negatively affect the Maldivian fishing and tourism industries.
Based on expert legal advice, President Muizzu announced that the Maldives will formally appeal the case previously submitted to ITLOS. He further declared before Parliament that the Maldives’ Exclusive Economic Zone remains as defined under the Maritime Zones of Maldives Act, including the maritime area that was previously surrendered.
The move signals a firm reassertion of sovereignty by the Muizzu administration, positioning the Maldives to pursue international legal remedies to restore its maritime rights and protect long-term national interests.
