The government has signed an MoU to assess the capability of a company that proposed the development of an airport in Gaaf Alif Villingili and an integrated tourism zone in the atoll.
The investment appraisal agreement was signed at a ceremony held during President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu's visit to the island this morning.
Infrastructure Minister Dr. Abdulla Muththalib signed the agreement on behalf of the Maldives. Servè Dolmans, the business development manager of NV Besix SA, signed on behalf of the Belgian contractor.
On Tuesday night, the government signed an MoU with Thailand's Pan Pacific Company to develop a USD 600 million airport in Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo. An investigation by Adhadhu showed that the company lacks the capacity to build an airport.
Together with the airport to be developed in Villingili, Huvadhoo atoll would have six airports. There are currently three airports in the southern division of the atoll and one airport in operation in the northern division. Huvadhoo, geographically the largest atoll in the world, would have two international airports when the airports in Thinadhoo and Villingili are completed.
The NV Besix SA company that submitted the proposal for the Villingili airport project was formed in Belgium in 1909.
According to the latest financial records published in 2020, the company earned an income of USD 3.8 billion and employed more than 12,000 workers.
The company had also been involved in the construction of the Burj Khalifa in Dubai under a joint venture with South Korea's Samsung Corporation.
