The Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology has collected biometric data on 1,455 migrant workers during a programme conducted in Male’ under the Kurangi Operation, the Ministry revealed.
The programme ran from 8:00 am until 6:00 pm, with 75 officials from the Ministry involved in the task. It focused on migrant workers employed in the education sector as well as those active at the Gulhifalhu site where the Thila-Male’ Bridge project is underway. Biometric data on 697 migrant workers employed at educational institutions in the Male’ area and 758 employees of Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company leading the Thila-Male’ Bridge construction, were collected. Among these, no workers were identified as residing in the Maldives illegally, according to the Ministry. The programme also included a human trafficking screening component, which will be incorporated into all future activities under Operation Kurangi.
In a social media post, the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan stated that President Dr Mohamed Muizzu in November revealed that the biometric data of 10,000 migrant workers had been collected under Operation Kurangi. Over the past two months, data on over an additional 15,000 workers have been recorded, bringing the total to 25,483. The Minister expressed confidence that the issue of undocumented migrants in the Maldives will be effectively resolved under a three-year plan, in alignment with President Muizzu’s pledge, with the matter expected to be fully addressed by April 2027.
Operation Kurangi, launched on 2 May, 2024, aims to provide a permanent solution to the issue of undocumented migrants in the Maldives. As part of the operation, fingerprints of migrant workers are recorded and checks are conducted to ensure that they are employed in the Maldives in accordance with the relevant rules and regulations. The data collected from across the Maldives through island and atoll councils will be compiled into a unified registry, the Homeland Security Ministry has previously said.