President Mohamed Muizzu informed the ruling party MPs during a meeting today that a permanent agreement to sell Rasmalé to Mohamed Alabbar—a UAE businessman known for his close ties to Israel and Zionist interests—is scheduled to be signed before November 17.
According to a source present at the meeting, the President informed lawmakers that the definitive agreement to sell 500 hectares of Rasmalé to Alabbar’s Eagle Hills would be finalised by the November 17 deadline.
During the meeting held at the official presidential residence, Mulee'aage, Muizzu did not clarify whether the signing would take place before or after the passage of legislative frameworks intended to facilitate the project.
In a previous interview with a local news outlet, Alabbar said that efforts were underway to sign the permanent sale agreement for Rasmalé on November 11, coinciding with the Maldives' Republic Day.
At today’s meeting, Muizzu also noted that a new 99-year lease term would be triggered every time ownership of a property in Rasmalé is transferred. This detail contradicts previous attempts by the government to obscure the long-term nature of the land rights being granted.
The reclamation of Rasmalé was initially launched under the premise that it would be a project dedicated exclusively to providing housing for Maldivians. Muizzu had personally pledged that no part of Rasmalé would be leased to foreign parties.
"Every grain of sand reclaimed there [Rasmalé] belongs to the Maldivian people. Not a single inch of that land will be leased or given for free to any foreign entity, not even for a single day," he said.
