Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development Dr Abdulla Muththalib has said that the ongoing conflict in the Middle East has disrupted the import of key construction materials, affecting several projects across the Maldives.
Speaking in Parliament, the minister was responding to concerns raised by members over delays in development projects in the atolls. Parliamentarian for Velidhoo Constituency Mohamed Abbas questioned delays in the construction of the harbour in Fohdhoo, as well as setbacks in harbour development in Velidhoo and water and sewerage projects in Lhohi.
In response, Minister Muththalib said the situation has been impacted by difficulties in sourcing materials from the Middle East, where large quantities of construction supplies are typically imported.
“Large stones are usually imported from the UAE and other parts of the Middle East. There are significant challenges in importing these materials at present. We are working to expedite projects by sourcing stone from India,” he said.
He noted that countries such as India, Oman and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are key suppliers of bulk materials for the construction sector. While India supplies stone and gravel, the UAE has been a major source of large rocks used for coastal protection and port development. The region also supplies steel, cement and other construction materials.
The minister said the government is working to minimise delays by securing alternative supply routes and accelerating ongoing projects across the country. He added that heavy machinery and equipment have been brought to Maldives and are being prepared for shipment to the Maldives to support project implementation in the atolls.