President Abdullah Yameen Abdul Gayoom says the easiest way to ‘colonize’ a country today is by weakening its economy.
Speaking in the official ceremony held to mark the 49th Republic Day on Saturday evening, President Yameen said that colonialism today worked by weakening a nation’s economy and forcing them to depend upon another country for their income and livelihood. He also said now ideological warfare was the main tactic used by such aggressors.
‘The easiest way to ‘colonize’ a country today is by weakening its economy, and by forcing them to depend upon another country for their income and livelihood,’ he said.
In this vein, the Preisdent stressed that private sector development and private businesses were key in ensuring economic independence.
‘The contribution of the private sector in our development is unparalleled. For such reasons, one of the main components of our economic policy is to introduce encouraging strategies which will enhance the private sector in the country,’ he said.
In spite of his speech, Maldives had seen a stronger reliance on China and Saudi Arabia under his administration. This has been noted by the opposition and regional partners, with nations such as India and the US expressing their concerns over this.
