While President Muizzu has stated that he will withdraw the letter sent by former President Solih, he has yet to fulfill his pledge to make the contents of the letter public.
The President announced that the Maldives has decided to withdraw the letter sent to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on August 22, 2022, following advice from international experts that the document has negatively impacted the nation's sovereignty.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu at the session to deliver the Presidential Address. | president office
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced that the Maldives will withdraw the letter sent by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih to the Prime Minister of Mauritius regarding the Chagos Archipelago dispute.
President Muizzu came to power on a campaign promise to reclaim the lost portion of the Maldives' maritime territory. He also pledged to disclose the letter sent by former President Solih to the Prime Minister of Mauritius regarding the matter. However, two years into the current administration, the letter has yet to be officially released. Despite the lack of an official disclosure, the document has since been leaked on social media.
Delivering the Presidential Address to the People’s Majlis, President Muizzu stated that legal proceedings have commenced to reclaim the portion of the Maldives' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) that was previously surrendered. President Muizzu further noted that international experts have advised that the letter sent by the Maldives to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on August 22, 2022, has negatively impacted the nation's sovereignty. Consequently, the President announced that the Maldives has decided to formally withdraw the letter.
Based on the advice of international experts that the letter sent by the President of the Maldives to the Prime Minister of Mauritius on August 22, 2022, has compromised the security of the Maldives' sovereign territory, I hereby announce before this honorable Parliament that the Maldives has decided to withdraw that letter in the interest of this proud nation and its beloved citizens.President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu
President Muizzu’s remarks come in light of statements made by Attorney General Ahmed Usham during a parliamentary session on October 15, 2025, where he confirmed that no documentation has been provided by any party indicating that the Maldives would suffer damages in this matter. Furthermore, various stakeholders have noted that the letter allegedly sent by former President Solih contains no elements that would compromise the sovereignty, independence, or territorial integrity of the Maldives.
Even as the government enters its second year in office, it has yet to take adequate action to address this issue.
