President Muizzu's current actions regarding the alleged loss of a portion of Maldivian maritime territory will incite regional instability, warns former President Solih
Solih has characterized President Dr. Muizzu's decision to reject the ITLOS ruling on the maritime boundary dispute between the Maldives and Mauritius as a political ruse timed for the elections. Solih emphasized that as long as the Maldives remains a party to the UNCLOS treaty, it is legally obligated to abide by the ruling, further warning that ordering the military to oversee areas outside the country's jurisdiction could incite regional instability.
Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih | RaajjeMV | Raajje MV
Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s current actions regarding the alleged loss of a portion of Maldivian maritime territory could incite regional instability.
Former President Solih made these remarks during an exclusive interview with RaajjeTV, addressing the decision to reject the ITLOS ruling and maintain the Maldives' previous maritime boundaries. His comments challenged the UNCLOS treaty, to which the Maldives is a signatory.
Former President Solih stated that in order to reclaim the disputed maritime territory, President Muizzu would first have to withdraw the Maldives from the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Solih has characterized President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s remarks regarding the maritime boundary dispute between the Maldives and Mauritius over the Chagos Archipelago as purely political. Former President Solih further asserted that the announcement of a commission to investigate the matter is merely a deceptive tactic aimed at influencing voters ahead of the upcoming elections.
Solih stated that President Muizzu’s remarks imply a refusal to accept the ITLOS ruling. However, he noted that the Maldives is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Former President Solih further explained that this convention specifically outlines the procedures to be followed when maritime boundaries between two countries overlap.
If an agreement cannot be reached, the matter proceeds to ITLOS. The standard procedure there is that in cases of overlapping claims, the disputed area is divided equally between the two parties. This is exactly what occurred at ITLOS. When Mauritius first filed the case, our initial stance was that they did not have the standing to bring the matter forward, as Chagos was under British administration at the time. However, ITLOS ruled that Mauritius did indeed have that right and decided to hear the case. As a signatory to UNCLOS, we were then required to respond. Our position was to follow the Law of the Sea and divide the overlapping area equally down the middle. This is not just my personal view; previous leaders have also maintained this same position.Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Former President Solih stated that the Maldives secured the larger portion of the overlapping maritime area during the delimitation process. He further noted that Mauritius was unsuccessful in its legal claims and the specific position it had maintained throughout the case.
Our Constitution explicitly mandates that we must adhere to the international treaties to which we are a party. As I have mentioned, we are a signatory to UNCLOS. Consequently, we are obligated to accept the rulings of ITLOS. There is, however, one potential course of action: withdrawing from UNCLOS entirely. There are still countries in the world that have not joined UNCLOS. Similarly, there are nations that are not party to the ICJ, and as such, they are not bound by its decisions. Therefore, as long as we remain a party to this treaty, we are required to comply with it.Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Former President Solih characterized President Muizzu’s recent remarks as purely political rhetoric. He asserted that ordering the military to enter areas outside of Maldivian territory is an action that must not be undertaken under any circumstances at this time. Furthermore, he warned that such provocations could plunge the entire region into a state of significant unrest.
Delivering the Presidential Address for this year, President Muizzu announced that the Maldives' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is officially defined as the area currently stipulated by law, referencing the archipelagic baselines set forth in the Maritime Zones of Maldives Act. This definition includes the maritime territory previously surrendered.
While President Muizzu discusses the loss of maritime territory, it is important to note that following the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Special Chamber's ruling on the overlapping maritime boundaries between the Maldives and Mauritius, the Maldives successfully secured an additional 4,687 square kilometers from the contested area.
However, following President Muizzu’s declaration in his Presidential Address that the Maldives would not accept the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ruling regarding the overlapping maritime boundaries between the Maldives and Mauritius, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) has begun patrolling the waters designated to Mauritius under the ruling.
In a statement issued last Thursday night, the Ministry of Defense reaffirmed that the Maldivian government does not recognize any changes to the sovereign territory of the Maldives as defined by the Constitution and existing laws. This follows President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s declaration during the 2024 Presidential Address on February 5, where he asserted that the administration would uphold the nation's territorial integrity. Consequently, the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) will continue its operations to monitor and protect the maritime zones mandated under Law No. 06/96 (Maldives Maritime Zones Act).
