President announces establishment of dedicated office to investigate maritime dispute, vows legal action against responsible parties

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has announced the establishment of a dedicated office to investigate the maritime boundary dispute between the Maldives and the Chagos Archipelago. The President stated that legal action will be taken against those held responsible for the outcome of the ruling issued by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

Delivering the annual Presidential Address to the People’s Majlis, President Muizzu announced that the Maldives' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is officially defined as the area already prescribed by law, referencing the archipelagic baselines stipulated in the Maritime Zones Act of Maldives. This declaration includes the maritime territory previously conceded.

The President stated that amendments to the Maldives Maritime Zones Act will be submitted to Parliament, in alignment with the 6th amendment to the Constitution. Furthermore, he noted that experts have recommended the establishment of a permanent office dedicated to overseeing all matters related to the Maldives' maritime territory. This office would be tasked with determining the country's territorial coordinates and baselines, as well as managing ongoing issues concerning the nation's maritime boundaries.

Recognizing the importance of establishing a dedicated government entity for this matter, I will, God willing, establish the Maldives Territorial Office. Furthermore, international experts appointed to this case have advised that certain decisions made by the previous administration have resulted in irreparable and significant damage to the Maldivian state. Consequently, I am announcing my decision to establish a Commission of Inquiry under Article 115(g) of the Constitution. This commission will be tasked with questioning those responsible for these decisions to determine their underlying motives, pursuing legal action where necessary, and formulating measures to ensure such incidents are never repeated.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu

While the President stated in his Presidential Address that the maritime boundary dispute would be investigated with the intent to prosecute, President Muizzu’s Attorney General, Ahmed Usham, has previously refuted allegations that former Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath shared documents detrimental to the Maldivian state with foreign parties regarding the Chagos issue.

Speaking at a parliamentary session on October 15, 2025, Attorney General Usham stated that there is no reason to believe any documents related to this matter were shared with foreign entities. He further noted that the current administration has been conducting a thorough and detailed investigation into the issue.

"I do not believe that any documents have been shared with foreign parties. Since assuming office, we have conducted a thorough review of this matter and are currently taking the necessary steps to ensure that our administration handles the issue appropriately. Furthermore, I do not believe that the Attorney General of the previous administration provided any such documentation to any outside parties."

Attorney General Ahmed Usham

It is noteworthy that Attorney General Usham’s response has clearly demonstrated that members of the current administration’s parliamentary group and other political figures have been disseminating false and misleading information regarding the Chagos issue. Furthermore, these individuals had previously alleged that officials from the former administration had "sold off" the nation's maritime territory in exchange for financial gain.

Amidst allegations that a portion of the Maldives' maritime territory has been sold off, President Muizzu had pledged to appeal the ITLOS ruling within the first 100 days of his administration. However, to this day, that commitment remains unfulfilled.

The United Kingdom transferred the Chagos Islands to Mauritius on May 22, 2025.

Following the International Court of Justice's ruling that sovereignty over the Chagos Archipelago belongs to Mauritius, the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) has also upheld that decision in the maritime boundary dispute filed by Mauritius to demarcate the waters between Chagos and the Maldives.