More than a year has passed since the government last disclosed the expenses of foreign trips as pledged by President Mohamed Muizzu.
Muizzu made the commitment on December 2, 2023, while speaking to the press at the airport upon returning from official visits to Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
At the time, he announced that the costs of all foreign travel by the President and Vice President would be made public within 15 days of the conclusion of each trip.
However, the President's Office ceased proactively releasing this information after April 2025. The last disclosure was for Muizzu's visit to the United Kingdom in April 2025.
Official trips with undisclosed expenses
- Malaysia: April 27 – April 30, 2025
- Singapore: June 29 – July 2, 2025
- United Kingdom: July 2025
- Qatar: September 2025
- United Kingdom: November 29 – December 3, 2025
- Germany: February 9 – February 13, 2026
- Saudi Arabia: April 2026
- Sri Lanka: May 3 – May 6, 2026
Unofficial trips with undisclosed expenses
- Singapore: July 31 – August 5, 2025
- Singapore: December 2025
- Singapore: May 24 – May 30, 2026
All of Muizzu’s official trips have involved large delegations, including several cabinet ministers, senior government officials, and members of Parliament. On some occasions, media personnel have also been included in these delegations at the state's expense.
While detailed breakdowns remain hidden, official statistics indicate that government spending on travel exceeded the initial amounts approved by the People’s Majlis in last year’s budget.
The state budget approved for the current year allocates MVR 273 million for government travel. This is an increase from the MVR 249 million allocated in the previous year's budget.
Although Muizzu previously stated that disclosing these expenses was essential for establishing a transparent system, he has also mentioned that some of his trips are funded by "well-wishing businessmen." However, he has not disclosed the identities of these individuals.
Furthermore, in 2024, Muizzu and his family spent the Eid holidays at Velaa Private Island, one of the most expensive luxury resorts in the Maldives. It remains unclear whether the costs for this stay were covered personally or by other means.
