Former President and Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Chairperson Mohamed Nasheed has publicly declared his full support for the Rasmalé development proposed by UAE-based Eagle Hills, distancing himself from calls within his own party to take direct action against the project.
Speaking during an emergency meeting of the MDP National Council on Sunday night, Nasheed made his position clear as members debated a resolution seeking a stronger party response to the development, officially known as the Maldives Waterfront and Marina project.
Nasheed said he had not initially intended to participate in the discussion but decided to intervene after several speakers referred to him during the debate.
“If it is being claimed that I said something, then I must clarify my position. I fully support this project, completely,” he told the council.
His remarks came amid growing differences within the main opposition party over its approach to the Rasmalé development, particularly the involvement of Eagle Hills and the terms under which the project is expected to proceed.
Several council members questioned what would happen to the development after the expiry of the 99-year lease granted to Eagle Hills, raising concerns about the long-term implications of the arrangement.
Others expressed fears that the project could allow people of different religious backgrounds to settle in the Maldives, with some speakers making allegations about the possibility of Zionist involvement.
Nasheed rejected the direction of those arguments, repeatedly urging members not to present speculation about future developments as established fact.
He also reminded the council of the Maldives’ history as a society shaped by people whose ancestors had arrived from different parts of the world.
Nasheed described those attending the meeting as proud Maldivians, emphasising their shared national identity despite their diverse ancestral origins.
His intervention followed a public warning earlier on Sunday in which he accused elements within the MDP of moving away from the values on which the party was founded.
Writing on X, Nasheed expressed concern over what he described as the growing use of xenophobic and hardline nationalist rhetoric within the party, arguing that attempts to mobilise public anger through such arguments were inconsistent with its political identity.
The former President, who played a central role in the Maldives’ transition to multiparty democracy, has long associated the MDP’s founding principles with political openness, pluralism and democratic reform.
His latest criticism highlights a disagreement within the party over how it should respond to the government’s proposed partnership with Eagle Hills.
Before the emergency council meeting, Nasheed had already cautioned against adopting a position that would place the MDP in direct opposition to the developer.
He pointed out that the party had previously issued an official statement on the project and argued that members should respect that position rather than pursue a contradictory course.
The resolution being debated was submitted by Mahfooz Shaheed, president of the MDP’s Kolamaafushi constituency branch, and seconded by Kendhoo MP Maaroof Zakir.
It calls for the party to take direct action against the Rasmalé project, reflecting concerns among some members over the development agreement and its potential long-term consequences.
While critics within the MDP have called for stronger scrutiny of the arrangement, Nasheed’s intervention places the party chairperson firmly in support of the development.
His position also underscores the challenge facing the MDP as it seeks to establish a unified response to the project while accommodating differing views among its leadership and membership.
