Shahid: In a twist of fate, Pres. Muizzu inaugurated the very project he once vilified

Main opposition MDP’s leader Abdulla Shahid, who served as the Foreign Minister in the last MDP administration, has spoken regarding the irony of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu inaugurating Hanimaadhoo International Airport, a project by the last MDP administration which was once vilified by his campaign.

Hanimaadhoo International Airport was inaugurated jointly by President Muizzu and Minister of Civil Aviation of India Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu during a special ceremony held on Sunday night.

Following the inauguration, Shahid, via a post on X, expressed gratitude to former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, whose administration initiated the project, and Indian Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the government and people of India for their generous assistance.

Tonight, President @MMuizzu inaugurated the new Hanimadhoo International Airport, marking the completion of a major project that began with assistance from the Indian government during President @ibusolih’s administration. My deepest gratitude to President @ibusolih for this… pic.twitter.com/tsoxHMGyTS

— Abdulla Shahid (@abdulla_shahid) November 9, 2025

The airport’s development was funded by a USD 800 million line of credit issued from EXIM Bank, India, under an agreement executed between the Maldivian government and the bank in 2019. The development of Hanimaadhoo International Airport was contracted to India’s JMC Projects for USD 136.6 million. 

Shahid pointed out that the incumbent administration, which had been the opposition when Hanimadhoo airport development project was inaugurated, had heavily criticized the project, even going as far as to label the project as an “Indian military initiative”.

“Construction workers were falsely called Indian soldiers, fueling a dangerous nationalist narrative. Every Indian‑supported project was politicized to inflame anti‑India sentiment, turning international cooperation into a political weapon,” he stressed.

However, he emphasized the irony that President Muizzu himself has inaugurated the very project that he and his vilified.

“Yet, in a striking twist of fate, President Muizzu has now inaugurated the very project his campaign once vilified—a project made possible by the same partners his government sought to demonize,” he said.

Originally built 39 years ago, Hanimaadhoo Airport previously accommodated only smaller aircraft such as ATRs and Dash-8s. 

President Muizzu, speaking at the ceremony, described the airport as a “gateway to prosperity” for the north. “This is not just an airport, it is a symbol of economic transformation,” he said. 

The upgraded Hanimaadhoo International Airport now stands as a central pillar in the government’s decentralisation policy, unlocking economic potential and tourism growth across the northern region. With expanded infrastructure and direct international connectivity, the airport is poised to transform the region into a thriving hub for investment, trade, and travel.

Many firmly believe that genuine development in the north can only be achieved by fully utilizing Hanimaadhoo International Airport.

Although there are numerous resorts and guesthouses in northern Maldives, their most pertinent concern is that they have to rely on Male’ for their travel requirements.

If tourists were to travel from Male’ to northern islands, including Hanimaadhoo, the cost of their airfare would cover one week’s stay in a guesthouse near Male’. This is one of the reasons behind the low demand for resorts and guesthouses in northern atolls.