President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated next year could be another difficult year for the Maldives, considering the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing the nation on the occasion of Republic Day, President Solih said the pandemic has resulted in major economic losses which cannot be easily recovered. The president said the main focus of the government for 2021 would be to speed up the process of economic recovery. In this regard, he noted the government has planned several community-based projects and programmes aimed to strengthen the financial well-being of communities and individuals.
President Solih further stated the COVID-19 pandemic has underlined the importance of reducing the dependency on tourism for income. Therefore, he said special programmes will be conducted next year to develop other sectors such as fisheries and agriculture.
Elaborating on some of the projects planned for next year, the president revealed major investments will be made on developing fisheries facilities in Kooddoo, Felivaru and Kandu’oiy Giri. He also revealed the government has started issuing plots of land for agriculture, without charging rent for the next three years. He said additional schemes will be conducted to provide financial assistance for local farmers.
President Solih expressed belief the biggest accomplishment the country can achieve in terms of development is to ensure the country can be handed over to future generations in a better state than the current situation. Speaking in this regard, the president highlighted the importance of protecting the nation from the adverse effects of climate change. He noted this is a duty which lies upon every individual citizen of the country.