Pres. decides to change Kelaa's jurisdiction to develop resorts

In line with his electoral pledge, President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has decided to allocate a total of 325.5 hectares from the lagoon of Kelaa island of Haa Alif atoll to develop two resorts.

The president made the decision under the authority vested in him by Article 56-1 (a) of Law No. 7/2010 (Decentralization Act of the Administrative Divisions of the Maldives), which assigns the president the responsibility of determining the jurisdiction of all city and island councils in the administrative divisions of the Maldives. The decision was made through Presidential Decree No. 7/2025 issued on Saturday.

The decree, along with a map showing the changes to the jurisdiction of Kelaa, has since been publicized in the government gazette.

President Muizzu has revealed that he will make the development of a resort in Kelaa lagoon a reality. The president noted this while speaking at a meeting with the community of the island today.

During his speech in Kelaa on 25 February 2024, the president said that the resort to be developed in Kelaa lagoon would benefit both Kelaa and the entire atoll. In addition to this, the president highlighted that the government has decided to develop agriculture to ensure food security in the Maldives.

He stated that to produce enough food for the Maldivian people and the tourism industry, extensive work needs to be done, and he wants Kelaa to play an important role in this effort.

Developing a tourism facility in Kelaa lagoon is one of the president’s electoral pledges.