President Mohamed Muizzu has avoided the press following a controversial government deal to grant 500 hectares of land in Rasmalé, free of charge, to Eagle Hills—a UAE-based company with alleged ties to Israel.
During his Presidential Address on February 5, Muizzu pledged to hold weekly press briefings starting in March. However, he has failed to fulfil this commitment.
The President’s last formal interaction with the media took place on September 7. Five weeks have passed since then without a single press conference.
The Maldivian government signed the Rasmalé agreement on September 21. Despite public concern surrounding the project, the administration has yet to convene a press briefing to address the matter.
"To ensure I provide information directly to the media, I will meet with journalists every Monday from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, as a general rule, starting this March," Muizzu stated during his Presidential Address last February.
Throughout the first year of his administration, Muizzu held only two formal press conferences. The first was conducted on December 5, 2023, while the second—a marathon 15-hour session—took place 151 days later, on May 3.
Following a briefing on June 29, there was a three-week hiatus, after which the President did not meet the press again for another eight weeks.
Despite these gaps, Muizzu falsely claimed during his most recent press conference that he meets with journalists "in some capacity" every week.
