President establishes state-owned company to lead Hankede tourism development

The Addu City Hankede Development Corporation Limited has been established to develop Hankede for tourism.

The main objective of establishing the Addu City Hankede Development Corporation Limited is to develop Hankede as an integrated tourism destination. The President’s Office said the company also aims to expand Addu City’s tourism industry and ensure the equitable distribution of tourism-related benefits across the atoll.

According to the President’s Office, the company will strengthen Addu City’s participation in the tourism sector and take all necessary steps to achieve the Government’s economic objectives under the Hankede project.

There has long been concern that tourism is not being developed enough in Addu City, the southernmost region of the country. Although various governments have pledged to develop Hankede as a tourism destination, the work has yet to be completed.

Former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration announced the development of Hankede as an integrated tourism project in January 2023, coinciding with the MDP presidential primary. However, no progress was made after the end of that government.

In June last year, the Government announced that President Muizzu had decided to develop halal tourism in Hankede. Three months later, the Government revised the plan again, with the Tourism Ministry announcing that Hankede would be developed as an integrated tourism project.

Notably, the establishment of a new state-owned company comes at a time when statistics show that existing government companies continue to burden the state. Such companies have also been criticised for being used for political purposes by successive governments.