Joint Opposition presidential candidate Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that his administration will expand Addu City’s tourism industry.

After opening a campaign site in Male’ exclusive to Addu natives on Sunday night, Solih said that the current administration has failed to fulfill its pledge of developing a 5,000-bed resort in the city.

“We will make travel within Maldives cheaper and increase opportunities for Maldivians and tourists to travel to Addu and expand the city’s local tourism industry.”

Noting that 8% of the people living in capital city Male’ are Addu natives, Solih said that they were forced to move due to the government’s neglect of the southern city. However, he said that now-main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP)’s government had begun numerous development projects in Addu and saw the completion of some.

He also said that Addu is one of the cities “ripe” for development in a decentralized system and that his administration will give city councils all the municipality services and the necessary power and finances. He added that a certain percentage of the city’s income will be given to the city councils and that development projects will only be conducted after discussions with the locals.

While MDP’s government had planned to build a hospital in Addu and accumulated the necessary finances, Solih said that after the change in power, the current administration has still not disclosed what happened to the money.

Solih added that the Joint Opposition’s plans for Addu will be disclosed at a large event to be held in the city soon.