The government has classified as confidential the letters sent by President Dr. Mohammed Muizzu through the then-Foreign Minister to various heads of state during mid-2024, at the peak of the Maldives' financial constraints.
According to information disclosed by the Foreign Ministry, President Dr. Muizzu sent five letters to the leaders of four countries. These letters were handed over to the then-Foreign Minister and current Finance Minister, Moosa Zameer.
This period marked one of the most challenging financial situations in recent Maldivian history. The Maldives Monetary Authority’s (MMA) usable reserves dropped to record lows, dollars were scarce, and the country’s credit rating was downgraded during these months.
The President sent the letters to:
- Chinese President Xi Jinping (22 July 2024)
- King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa of Bahrain (12 August 2024)
- Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz (19 August 2024)
- UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (4 September 2024)
Of these, two letters were addressed to the Chinese President. During his official visits, Zameer delivered the letters to the foreign ministers or senior government officials of the respective countries.
In early September, Adhadhu requested access to the contents of the letters under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The President’s Office responded to four separate RTI requests by stating that letters exchanged with foreign parties are confidential under the law.
The confidentiality was invoked by the Government under Article 31 of the RTI Act, which provides for exceptions to disclosure when revealing information could interfere with the formulation or execution of government policy. However, the newspaper has now requested the President's Office to review the decision, under the clause of the RTI Act that states that public interest ovverrides these matters.
The letter that was disclosed by the current government
While the President’s Office now claims that letters exchanged with foreign leaders are confidential, this government previously disclosed a letter sent by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to a foreign leader.
On 19 December 2023, the President’s Office released a copy of a letter sent by President Solih to the Prime Minister of Mauritius, along with an official statement.
Dr. Muizzu's government unveiled the letter after repeatedly claiming, while in opposition, that it contained an agreement to “give away” the southern Chagos region to Mauritius, thereby “losing” or “selling” a portion of the Maldives’ southern seas.
However, the released letter contained no such statement. Instead, it reiterated that the Maldives would maintain its long-standing stance on the maritime issue. In the letter, President Solih affirmed that the Maldives' position on the sea dispute would remain unchanged.
