Govt begins assessing impact of Middle East situation on Maldives' economy

Jun 24, 2025, 4:16 AM
Finance Minister Moosa Zameer. -- Photo: President's Office

Finance Minister Moosa Zameer. -- Photo: President's Office

Finance Minister Moosa Zameer has announced that the government is assessing the impact of the situation in the Middle East on the country's economy.

The conflict began on June 13 following Israeli attacks on Iranian military bases. The United States also targeted some locations in Iran.

Iran continued to attack Israel and responded to the US by attacking a military base in Qatar on Monday.

Qatar and the United Arab Emirates temporarily closed their airspace after the attack. Connecting flights from Doha in Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE attract a large number of tourists.

However, the airspace was reopened hours later. The UAE is also one of the largest importers of goods to the Maldives.

In a post on X, Zameer said the government was "actively assessing the impact of the situation.

"We are working with relevant institutions to closely monitor market prices, inflationary trends, and trade flow disruptions," he wrote.

Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Thoriq Ibrahim said in a post on X that the government was working with stakeholders to monitor the situation.

"Our thoughts are with those who are impacted and our priority is to safeguard the seamless operation of our tourism sector and ensure the safety and well-being of all travelers," he wrote.

Transport Minister Mohamed Ameen said the government was closely monitoring the potential impact on air travelers from the West to the Maldives.

"Some Middle Eastern carriers at Malé Airport experienced delays, but departures are now resuming," he posted on Monday night.

US President Donald Trump has said he is working to reach a reconciliation between Iran and Israel. Iran has said it will ceasefire when Israel stops attacks, but Israel has not commented.

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