The Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) will continue to monitor the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as defined in the law, in accordance with the President's decision, the Ministry of Defence has said.
Presenting the presidential address at this year’s Parliament opening, the President referenced the archipelagic baselines defined in the Maritime Zones Act, and reaffirmed that the nation's EEZ remains as currently defined by law, including disputed maritime territory.
The Defence Ministry said while the Constitution states that it is the responsibility of the President to maintain the independence and security of Maldivian territory, the armed forces will consider the Maldives’ EEZ to be the area defined in the Maritime Zones of the Maldives Act in fulfilling the responsibilities assigned to the Armed Forces by the Constitution and laws.
The law defines the Maldives’ territory as all land and islands, the internal waters and archipelagic waters inside the Maldives’ baselines, the airspace above them, and the seabed and subsoil beneath them. The territorial sea, which extends 12 nautical miles from the archipelagic baselines, is also part of Maldivian territory. The EEZ is the area of sea beyond the territorial sea and stretches up to 200 nautical miles from the archipelagic baselines.
With the exception of the “Determination of the Tri-Junction Point in the Gulf of Manar” signed on 31 July 1976 with neighboring countries less than 200 nautical miles to the north of the Maldives, the Maldives has not signed any agreement with any countries that could threaten the EEZ.
The Defence Ministry said that the Maldivian recognises that the Maldives has a maritime area extending up to 200 nautical miles, except the northern delimited area, and that the Armed Forces Act states that it is the responsibility of the MNDF to defend and protect the independence and sovereignty of the Maldives, and to protect and maintain national interests, including defending the Maldives’ EEZ.
Therefore, the MNDF will discharge its statutory responsibilities as declared by the President and as required by laws with the utmost sincerity, dedication and steadfastness, the Ministry said. It further assured the public that the MNDF will continue to take all necessary measures to establish a viable, safe and secure environment for the people to achieve economic and social benefits in accordance with the rules of law.
With this, a special surveillance operation has been launched using the MNDF Coast Guard Dharumavantha and MNDF Air Corps drones to monitor the southern Exclusive Economic Zone.
Over the past two years, the government has strengthened defence capabilities and deployed modern sea and air vessels and established additional resources to patrol and monitor the seas.