Yameen questions need for second commission on 'lost sea territory'

Former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom has questioned President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's decision to establish a new presidential commission to investigate the Maldives' maritime boundary dispute with Mauritius, claiming the government is not making a genuine effort to recover what it describes as the country's "lost sea territory".

Speaking during a meeting held by the People's National Front (PNF) on Thursday night, Yameen questioned what tangible steps the administration had taken over the past three years to reclaim the disputed maritime area.

Yameen questioned why a second body was needed to address the issue, arguing that an existing mechanism had already been established by the government.

"The President is not trying to recover it at all," Yameen said.

Questioning the rationale behind the latest commission, Yameen asked whether the presidential decree that established the initial body had been revoked, whether its mandate had changed, or whether there was another reason for creating a new commission.

Earlier this month, President Muizzu established a presidential commission to investigate decisions and actions taken by previous administrations in connection with the maritime boundary case between the Maldives and Mauritius before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

In April, the government also established the Office on Maldives Territorial Boundaries, tasked with defining the Maldives' territorial boundaries and addressing disputes relating to them. Yameen appeared to be referring to this office when questioning the need for a separate presidential commission.

President Muizzu has repeatedly pledged to pursue efforts to recover the maritime area lost following international rulings related to the Chagos dispute. During a marathon press conference held on May 3 last year, he said reclaiming the area remained a priority for his administration, although the process had proven both complex and challenging. He added that the government had sought the assistance and advice of foreign experts on the matter.

The dispute stems from international decisions concerning the Chagos Archipelago. In 2019, the International Court of Justice ruled that the United Kingdom should end its administration of the Chagos Islands and return them to Mauritius. Subsequent proceedings before ITLOS resulted in the delimitation of the maritime boundary between Mauritius and the Maldives.

Under that ruling, Mauritius and the Maldives divided a maritime area spanning approximately 95,000 square kilometres. The current administration has maintained that the Maldives lost a significant portion of its maritime territory and has pledged to continue efforts to challenge or revisit the outcome through legal and diplomatic avenues.