Pres Muizzu says ‘tough decisions’ made in 2024 will ensure long-term benefits for all

In a New Year message on early Wednesday, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu described 2024 as a challenging year in which he had to make some tough decisions, but reassured the Maldivian people that the present inconveniences will give way to benefits for all in the long-term.

In a post via his official Facebook account, President Muizzu said the tough decisions he made in 2024 were once he made “for the sake you beloved citizens, and for benefit of the Maldives.”

He added that the people will enjoy benefits from the tough decisions he made.

“Though there will be minor hardships in the short-term, it will benefit everyone in the long-term,” he said.

“You will begin to taste the sweetness of these decisions. This will benefit all citizens.”

President Muizzu expressed hopes that the year 2025 will be a “safer” year than 2024.

“I hope it will be a year of increased prosperity for citizens, a stronger economy, and tighter societal bonds. I hope to see friendship and familial ties grow stronger, and for the cultivation of a spirit among Maldivians where we encourage each other to do good,” he said.

“I pray that this new year is a safe and prosperous year for Maldives and its people.”

In a separate New Year’s address published earlier on the President’s Office website, President Muizzu described 2025 as a promising year, with development projects across the country.

He said that the Maldives is journeying towards achieving a specific set of goals, which includes safeguarding the country’s independence and national identity, ensuring housing for all, modernizing healthcare and public services, infrastructure development and economic diversification.

“This journey follows a clear roadmap drawn to migrate to the ranks of developed nations. This is the goal of Maldives’ current developmental journey,” he said.

President Muizzu said the year 2025 will see the commencement of developmental projects nationwide, restoring economic prosperity and opening new opportunities for the workforce.

“With this, prosperity will spread across this country,” he said.

President Muizzu urged Maldivian citizens to make the promotion of wisdom, and prioritization of peace and reconciliation as part of their individual new year resolutions.

Stability, respect and compassion are the foundations of development and contentment, he said.

He said that his administration’s resolution is to remain steadfast in serving the people with sincerity, fulfilling promises, maintaining trust, and working closely with the people to find permanent solutions to problems.

“God willing, 2025 will be a year of prosperity. It will be a year of practical works on projects. It will be a year we all unite and work towards the unified goal of developing this country. It will be a year of responsible nation-building for the future of the Maldivian people,” he said.

President Muizzu, when he took office on November 17, 2023, took on the responsibility of guiding the Maldives through one of its worst economic crises. The new administration faced an alarmingly high public debt, a US dollar crunch, a stall in projects, and mounting pressure from global financial institutions to implement tough austerity measures.

The administration implemented tax hikes, reforms on subsidies and the expensive public health insurance scheme Aasandha, and other austerity measures.

The administration has repeatedly assured its global partners that the Maldives will honor its debt obligations.