Solih: MDP Government Must Not Allow Secret Agreements

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated that the Rasmalé project is currently one of the most widely discussed topics, asserting that no one should support initiatives conducted under secret agreements. He further pledged that an MDP government would never allow room for such lack of transparency.

He made these remarks while addressing the 2026 MDP Congress on Thursday night.

Speaking at the congress, President Solih stated that the current administration is highlighting certain actions of the previous MDP government in an attempt to justify its own questionable conduct. He issued a firm rebuttal to the government's claims regarding the lease of V. Fohtheyo Falhu, categorically denying allegations that the reef was given away for free and dismissing the accusations as entirely baseless.

Furthermore, he noted that while the opposition at the time criticized the establishment of essential services in small islands as wasteful expenditure, those very investments in water, sewerage, harbors, and electricity now serve as the fundamental foundation for attracting future investments to those islands.

When basic services were first introduced across the islands, they were criticized and dismissed as wasteful expenditure. However, these very services form the foundation for rural development, which is the primary focus of the investment forum being held during this congress. Investors will only be incentivized to commit to the islands once essential infrastructure, such as water and sewerage systems, harbors, and reliable electricity, is firmly in place.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

Noting that significant efforts were made to develop the entire country during every MDP administration, he highlighted the extensive work carried out to advance healthcare, education, human resource development, housing, and transportation systems. He further emphasized that the party successfully strengthened the decentralization system and fully upheld the responsibility of governing the nation even during global crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

"A national identity can only be preserved, and a nation can only endure, if its citizens are able to live in peace and harmony," President Solih said.

Criticizing the current administration's policies, he stated that independent institutions are being undermined, while the cost of living has skyrocketed, and young people are losing access to housing and employment opportunities. He further noted that business owners, fishermen, farmers, and the construction sector are currently in a state of despair. He added that the entire tourism industry is being dismantled under the guise of increasing state revenue.

In his remarks, President Solih described the members of the MDP not merely as political activists, but as a close-knit family that has traversed a long journey together.

We gather here tonight not merely as political members, but as a community that has journeyed a long road together. Along this path, we have celebrated numerous joyful triumphs, just as we have endured difficult days and setbacks. We marked our successes as one, and we bore our failures together. Throughout this journey, however, we remained steadfast in one core conviction: the unwavering belief that every Maldivian citizen is entitled to democracy, justice, dignity, and the fundamental freedom to determine their own future.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih

He stated that while the journey was marked by both joyous triumphs and difficult setbacks, he never wavered in his resolve to secure democracy, justice, and the right to self-determination for the Maldivian people.