The government has pledged its full support to strengthening the nation’s accounting sector, with the Minister of Finance and Planning, Moosa Zameer, declaring that trust remains the indispensable foundation of the country’s financial system.
Opening the 'Maldives Accountants Forum 2025', the largest gathering of its kind in the country, Minister Zameer highlighted the sweeping changes reshaping the financial landscape. Amid these shifts, he said, one constant endures. “Trust is the element that interconnects our financial system, and that begins with the work performed by accountants," he stated.
The minister underscored the far‑reaching impact of accurate and transparent financial reporting, describing it as essential to the functioning of the economy. “Reliable financial information enables banks to responsibly issue loans. Investors are empowered to make sound decisions. Furthermore, policymakers can plan with confidence,” he said. That reliability, he argued, provides the framework upon which banks, investors, and governments alike can operate with certainty.
Minister Zameer also recognised the Institute of Chartered Accountants of the Maldives (CA Maldives), stressing that the body functions as more than a regulator. He described it as an institution safeguarding the integrity and trust underpinning the financial sector. Its ongoing efforts to elevate audit quality and ethical standards, he said, reinforce the very foundation of the country's financial system.
Addressing the challenges of compliance and risk assessment, the minister cautioned that the responsibility of upholding accounting and reporting standards cannot rest with a single institution. He urged collaboration across government and industry, calling for joint efforts to strengthen the sector.
He concluded by assuring participants that the government stands ready to provide all necessary assistance to advance the accounting profession, pledging comprehensive support to accountants as they expand their role in national development.
The Maldives Accountants Forum, an annual event organised by CA Maldives, brings together approximately 300 participants to deliberate on the nation’s most pressing financial governance challenges.
The 2025 edition is dedicated to the theme of “Strengthening Financial Governance and Accountability”. Designed to foster professional excellence, continuous learning, and adherence to ethical principles, the forum serves as a platform for knowledge‑sharing and professional dialogue among accountants, auditors, and policymakers.
Held on 11 and 12 October at the Maldives National University (MN) Auditorium, the forum convenes a diverse roster of financial and business experts, alongside key decision‑makers. Discussions focus on institutional challenges in strengthening governance and accountability, while exploring practical solutions.
The agenda spans a wide range of high‑stakes issues critical to the nation’s financial health and modernisation. These include strengthening the internal audit function, addressing liquidity and fiscal management, and reinforcing corporate governance. The transition of government financial accounts to an accrual basis is also under review.
Other sessions address managing foreign exchange risk, drawing lessons from Sri Lanka’s financial slowdown, and examining the legal framework for intellectual property rights and foreign direct investment. The programme further explores sustainability reporting, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, all areas increasingly central to the future of financial governance.
Established under the Chartered Accountants Act, CA Maldives is mandated to regulate the accountancy profession in line with international standards, to institutionalise the profession within the Maldives, and to facilitate its advancement.