The briefing
On September 29, 2026, following Attorney General Ahmed Usham's statement that a new real estate bill would be submitted to Parliament before the commencement of practical work on the $20 billion Ras Malé project run in partnership with UAE's Eagle Hills, former President Mohamed Nasheed and Galolhu Uthuru MP Mohamed Ibrahim (Kudu) called for the agreements leasing 500 hectares of land for 99 years to be submitted to the People's Majlis. Heated debates took place inside Parliament regarding the disclosure that two members of the People's Majlis had not submitted financial declarations, as well as over members' financial declarations, including that of PNC Majority Leader Ibrahim Falah. During the trial hearing of former President Abdulla Yameen regarding the V. Aarah case, the defense requested that the testimony of Ahmed Adeeb and Abdulla Ziyath not be accepted, while prosecutor Ahmed Shafeeu requested the court to reject the defense witnesses presented by Yameen. While Abdulla Shahid won an opinion poll conducted by Sun Online for the 2028 presidential election with 58.3 percent, major legal and inter-factional disputes arose within the party regarding the MDP Congress scheduled to be held on October 1. The President of the Elections Commission spoke regarding the transition of power process, while the Minister of Homeland Security disclosed information concerning national security.
On September 29, 2026, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Mohamed Ameen officially inaugurated Maldivian's new modern seaplane terminal at Velana International Airport, equipped with a 130-passenger capacity. Following the decision to levy a 17 percent TGST on foreign platforms starting October 1, UK tour operators such as ABTA have warned of halting holiday bookings to the Maldives. Maldives Customs Service has seized more than 8.5 million cigarettes attempted to be illegally smuggled hidden within a cargo shipment brought to the Male' Commercial Port. To curb cigarette smuggling, regulatory amendments have been introduced, including reducing the duty on cigarettes from 8 Rufiyaa to 4 Rufiyaa, banning vapes, and exempting duty on nicotine replacement therapy products. Speaking at the "Safety and Secure Conference" held on September 29, 2026, MATI Vice President Salah Shihab stated that 40 percent of resort employees are Maldivians. Industry stakeholders highlighted the government's plan to complete regional cold storages, including the Thinadhoo facility, to maintain and stabilize fish prices.
Dharumavantha Hospital's Neurosurgery Department announced on September 29, 2026, that it had successfully performed the first navigation-guided brain surgery in the Maldives using the Medtronic StealthStation S8 navigation system. In connection with World Heart Day, it was reported on September 29, 2026, that out of 37,038 people screened under the non-communicable disease screening program conducted by the Health Protection Agency (HPA), 21.2 percent had high cholesterol.
On September 29, 2026, the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources granted permission to Meritole Private Limited to conduct a commercial pilot project for mud crab fattening in the Kulhiye Valhagande mangrove of G.Dh. Fiyoaree. In addition, it was revealed that an artificial reef constructed using 54 submerged concrete blocks to protect the shoreline in collaboration with MIT's Coastal Assembly at a Marriott resort operating in the Maldives has doubled the beach area without any sand nourishment.
On September 29, 2026, Minister of Health, Family and Welfare Jeela Ali officially signed the "Bogota Call to Action," an international declaration calling for an end to violence against children and the strengthening of child protection systems, on behalf of the Maldivian government. The Maldives' signing of this declaration will provide additional impetus to the implementation of the "National Action Plan on Prevention and Response to Violence Against Children 2024–2028," which was formulated at the national level to combat violence against children. In addition, the importance of maintaining a sound foreign policy to protect national interests amid shifting global geopolitical tides was also emphasized.
On September 29, 2026, a 44-year-old man arrested under a court warrant for sexually abusing and intimidating a 72-year-old woman while she was praying in R. Angolhitheemu was remanded in custody for 15 days. Police also announced that 17-year-old Mohamed Ahyan Hussain, who had been reported missing from Lh. Naifaru, was found safely inside a house on the island. In addition, police have launched an investigation into the death of a person who was found unconscious on the second floor of a house on Buruzu Magu in Malé and brought to the hospital. Due to the increasing rate of serious road accidents, Commissioner of Police Ahmed Mohamed instructed that strict action be taken against repeat traffic violators. An amendment was brought to the Police Employment Regulations to provide a special medical benefit to the families of police officers who lose their lives in the line of duty. Additionally, police disposed of equipment used to manufacture cigarettes illegally. At the same time, work to repair potholes formed on Ameenee Magu was also carried out on this day. Furthermore, many people praised the fine example set by a group of children who took the initiative to distribute cold juice to expatriate workers. Information was shared with parents on the importance of using a secret code within the family to protect children from sudden dangers. In addition, important religious and social advice was shared regarding the ruling on placing phones with Quran applications on the ground, as well as the etiquettes of supplication (dua).
