Minister Saeed: Past Two Years Saw Biggest Progress in Maldives Investment

The past two years have seen the biggest progress in investment in the Maldives, spanning from large-scale investments to the smallest businesses, according to Minister of Economic Development and Trade Mohamed Saeed. The minister made the remarks while speaking at the award ceremony of the 'Maldives Expo 2026', where he also highlighted that the President has a special vision to take the country's economy to a new level. He said the President is working day and night to seek opportunities both within the Maldives and abroad, and has envisioned a creative economy that would account for 15% of the economy by 2030. Minister Saeed noted that the government's efforts have resulted in significant achievements in attracting investment, benefiting all types and sizes of businesses. He said that this year's Maldives Expo has expanded significantly, with 600 participants and 4,400 products, compared to 240 participants last year. The number of districts in the expo has also increased from five to seven. The minister highlighted two new districts introduced this year: the Visitor Economy District and the International District. The Visitor Economy District is expected to open up substantial opportunities for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the tourism sector, bringing revolutionary changes to the Maldives' visitor economy. The International District will feature technical products from countries with which the Maldives has established or is working to establish free trade and preferential trade agreements, opening new markets and avenues for Maldivian businesses.