President removes Savaaheli from Addu City jurisdiction for tourism development

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has separated Savaaheli from the administrative jurisdiction of Addu City to facilitate tourism development.

The President’s Office said the decision was made under the Decentralisation Act, which grants the President the authority to determine the jurisdiction of city councils and island councils. A decree has been issued to formalise the change, along with a revised jurisdiction chart published in the Government Gazette.

Savaaheli lies between the connected islands of Feydhoo and Maradhoo-Feydhoo. It is noteworthy that the Addu City Council decided in 2021 to develop Savaaheli as a tourist destination.

There is longstanding concern that tourism development in Addu City, the southernmost region of the country, has not progressed sufficiently. Although successive governments have pledged to develop Hankede as a tourism zone, the project has yet to be completed.

Last week, the President established a new government company, Addu Hankede Development Corporation Limited, to develop Hankede for tourism.