President’s Office releases financial statement for President Muizzu’s UK trip without disclosing details of private donor
Questions have been raised regarding the transparency of President Dr. Muizzu’s recent trip to the United Kingdom after the President’s Office failed to include details of private sponsorship in its official financial statement, despite previous claims that a significant portion of the visit was privately funded. While the President stated that the government incurred costs of only approximately MVR 150,000, the official disclosure’s omission of third-party assistance has sparked public criticism over financial accountability. The government has so far refused to disclose the identity of the private sponsor or the specific arrangements under which the funding was provided.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu speaking at a presser. | Presidents office
The President's Office has released a financial statement regarding President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s visit to the United Kingdom in April 2025, though it fails to disclose any specific details regarding the private party that funded the trip.
Although President Muizzu previously stated that a significant portion of this trip was funded by a private party, the financial statement released on Tuesday failed to provide any specific details regarding the matter.
The President's Office stated in its financial disclosure that no third party had incurred any expenses for the "benefit or interest" of the office. As this appears to contradict previous statements made by President Muizzu, the government spokesperson declined to comment when questioned about the identity of the private party that funded the trip.
President Muizzu addressed the expenses of his trip to the United Kingdom during a podcast aired on April 10, 2025. In the podcast, the President stated that the government did not incur significant costs for the visit, as nearly all arrangements were secured through private sector sponsorship. He further noted that this had been the intended plan from the outset.
The President stated that the government spent only approximately 150,000 Rufiyaa on the trip. According to the President, this amount covered only his personal airfare, while all other expenses—including tickets and accommodation for the rest of the delegation—were sponsored by a private party. Official records from the President's Office confirm that the state spent 153,689 Rufiyaa on the visit, which was undertaken to launch a partnership with Liverpool Football Club to promote Maldivian tourism.
The government has yet to disclose the specific regulations or agreements under which a private company funded this trip. Furthermore, the nature of the relationship between the company and the government remains unclear. Additionally, no official authorities have revealed the total expenditure covered by the private entity for the travel.
Although the current administration pledged to disclose all expenses related to presidential travels, the omission of significant third-party funding from the official financial report has drawn widespread public criticism. This lack of transparency has intensified concerns regarding the government's commitment to fiscal accountability.
