President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has assured the public that his administration would not sign any agreements that could compromise the independence and sovereignty of the nation. The President made the statement while speaking at a press conference held at the President’s Office on April 12.
Responding to a question from the press regarding the agreement signed with India on the development of Uthuru Thilafalhu, President Solih said the agreement had already been formulated when the current administration took office in 2018. Noting certain agreements signed with foreign countries cannot be disclosed to the public, the President said any concerns regarding the agreement can be addressed by sharing the relevant information with the relevant authorities. He assured the public that there is no clause in the agreement that compromises the independence and sovereignty of the nation.
Last month, Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) held a press conference to clarify concerns regarding the Uthuru Thilafalhu agreement, following an alleged leak of the agreement to social media. Speaking at the press conference, Chief of Defence Force Major General Abdulla Shamaal said the agreement that is being circulated in social media is a false document, noting there is no threat to national security or sovereignty in the actual Uthuru Thilafalhu agreement. He strongly rebuffed claims that senior MNDF officers took bribes and held secret emergency meetings on the matter. He described such allegations as lowly attempts to tarnish the reputation of the military in order to fulfill a certain political agenda.
The Chief of Defence Force noted the Uthuru Thilafalhu agreement was designed to increase the operational capacity of the MNDF Coast Guard. As such, he noted the agreement facilitates Indian assistance to develop a Harbour Repair Facility (HRF), jetty, slipway and other infrastructure needed for the harbour facility. He added India will provide technical expertise in training MNDF officers and provide assistance in operating and maintaining the dockyard and harbour facilities for a period of 15 years, as per the agreement.