President Dr Mohamed Muizzu returned to the capital on Wednesday following a comprehensive tour of the inhabited islands of Haa Dhaalu Atoll, undertaken to advance community development and reinforce direct governmental engagement.
The President visited thirteen islands: Hirimaradhoo, Finey, Hanimaadhoo, Naivaadhoo, Nellaidhoo, Nolhivaran, Nolhivaranfaru, Makunudhoo, Vaikaradhoo, Neykurendhoo, Kurin’bi, Kumundhoo and Kulhudhuffushi City, where he met with island councils, women’s development committees, institutional heads and residents to assess local priorities and prevailing conditions.
Cabinet ministers and senior officials accompanied the president throughout the tour, providing updates on development projects and engaging with communities on planned interventions. The discussions centred on infrastructure, transport and tourism, with agreements signed and initiatives launched across housing, education, healthcare, fisheries and agriculture. These efforts align with the administration’s Northern Integrated Development Zone strategy.
In remarks delivered during the visits, President Muizzu called on councils to take a leading role in realising the benefits of decentralisation. He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to safeguarding the constitutional right to free speech, describing citizen engagement and island visits as a core tenet of government policy.