Muizzu: Will commence efforts to remove foreign soldiers on first day in office

President-elect Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, stressing no foreign soldiers can be based in the Maldives against the wishes of Maldivian people, has stated he will commence efforts to remove all foreign soldiers based in the Maldives on the first day in office.

Speaking at an event held at the Social Centre on Monday night to mark his victory in the presidential election – he underscored his pledge to ensure the independence of Maldives, adding that people had voted for him due to the pledge. He stressed that these efforts would commence immediately after he is sworn in.

In this regard, he reaffirmed his intention to remove foreign soldiers from the Maldives within the constraints of law.

Muizzu, citing the people have decided they do not want the presence of foreign soldiers, emphasized no foreign soldiers can stay in Maldives against the people’s wishes.

“Therefore, what I have to say to the ambassador who will come to meet me is close relations can be maintained based on this condition,” he added.

The president-elect, noting the presence of foreign soldiers was not only the issue, said the country’s economy was enslaved as well. In this trajectory, he said half of the nation’s debt has been owed to a specific country.

Nevertheless, he expressed confidence in solving such issues through diplomatic channels as prescribed.

FOREIGN POLICY: ‘PRO-MALDIVES’

Muizzu noted that various ambassadors of foreign nations have requested meetings during the ongoing transitional period, adding such meetings will be held in accordance with the law.

He described his foreign policy in his administration as ‘Pro-Maldives’ policy, detailing the policy prioritizes national interest while holding diplomatic relations with foreign nations that support the policy.

Muizzu said stability needs to be ascertained across the nation. In this regard, he said every single citizen prioritizing national interest as the path for national development.

Therefore, he stressed the need for every citizen to resolve to put the nation’s interests first.

Speaking further, Muizzu said the results of Saturday’s election showed that the Maldivian people did not wish for things to proceed at the speed which it has during the five-years of the current administration.

“That they wish to hand over the pickup of our ailing economy to people who can. That we need to ensure our youths are respectable and financially sound. We are seeing how people have said this,” he said.

He went onto say that the election results had translated to how women wished to be financially empowered and how senior citizens wished for the chance to serve the nation.

“That we want to instill the national spirit within us. That we do not want the Dhivehi Language to fade away. That our Islamic religion is more important to us. That we need to make nationalism what we prioritize the most,” he said.