President fails to fulfill pledge to provide fuel at STO rates across all atolls by 2025, repeats same promise once again
In his 2024 Presidential Address, President Muizzu reaffirmed his pledge to provide fuel to fishermen across all atolls at STO rates, announcing that fuel skids will be installed nationwide within the next three months to fulfill this commitment. However, this follows several previous instances where the administration failed to meet self-imposed deadlines for the implementation of this initiative.
Protests held by the fishermen of Dh. Kudahuvadhoo in 2024 | RaajjeMV | RaajjeMV
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has repeated a pledge in his 2025 Presidential Address that he had previously failed to fulfill: ensuring that fishermen across all atolls can access fuel at STO rates starting from Fishermen's Day, December 10, 2024.
Delivering the 2026 Presidential Address on Thursday, the President acknowledged the various challenges faced by fishermen. He noted that one of the most significant difficulties they encounter is the lack of access to affordable fuel across all regions of the Maldives.
One of the most significant challenges facing fishermen is the difficulty of accessing affordable fuel across all regions of the Maldives. As part of the government's efforts to address this issue and ensure fuel is available at STO rates, an STO fuel skid was inaugurated in R. Dhuvaafaru on December 13, 2024. STO fuel skids are expected to be established in every atoll across the country within the next three months.President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu
During a visit to K. Gaafaru on December 9, 2024, to meet with the local community, the President assured that starting from Fishermen's Day on December 10, fishermen would be able to purchase fuel at "STO rates" from STO or FSM sites.
President Muizzu reaffirmed this pledge while delivering the 2025 Presidential Address. The President stated that, for the benefit of fishermen, vessel owners, and the general public, STO fuel skids will be established in every atoll before the end of 2025, enabling the sale of diesel and petrol at STO's official rates.
However, the President has failed to fulfill this pledge. It was not until late December 2025 that the President inaugurated the first government-established STO fuel shed in R. Dhuvaafaru.
Despite President Muizzu’s repeated pledges to the fishing community, he has failed to fulfill any of these commitments. Consequently, fishermen continue to hold protests every year.
In a similar vein, fishermen held a protest on last year's Fishermen's Day. During the demonstration, they presented three key demands to the government. These demands included the state-owned fisheries company, MIFCO, commencing the purchase of yellowfin tuna as pledged in the current administration's manifesto, and establishing a minimum floor price for yellowfin tuna between MVR 80 and MVR 100. Additionally, they called for a mechanism to provide fuel and ice to fishermen at base rates. To date, the government has failed to fulfill these demands in a sustainable manner.
