The President's Office has revealed that a total of MVR 3.8 million was spent on President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu and a 15-member delegation's visit to attend the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The SIDS-4 conference was held in Antigua and Barbuda from May 24 to 31. This is an international conference which is held every 10 years. The conference is attended by small developing countries.
President Muizzu was the first President since former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom to attend the conference.
Tickets were the biggest expense of the trip, costing a total of MVR 2,644,485.88 for the 16-member delegation. It is not clear whether President Muizzu travelled in first class.
President's Office Chief Spokesperson Heena Waleed did not respond to repeated calls for comment.
Details of other travel expenses
- MVR 271,956.52 for transportation expenses
- MVR 618,043.67 for accommodation expenses
- MVR 8,832 per person as pocket money for 16 people
- MVR 164,014.17 for meals
- MVR 18,468 for stopovers
- MVR 6134.70 for incidental expenses
The President’s visit to Barbuda in the Eastern Caribbean took him 36 hours up and down, according to a statement from the President’s Office.
During the visit, President Muizzu met with the leaders of four countries in SIDS and discussed strengthening relations between them and the Maldives.
He also met with the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland Casey.
