"Lost" maritime area will be monitored as a part of the Maldives: Defence

The Ministry of Defence stated today that although the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) ruled to delimit the maritime boundary between Maldives and Mauritius, the ministry will protect that area as President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has decided to consider the 200-nautical-mile zone as Maldivian maritime territory, as it was previously.

Following a case submitted by Mauritius to ITLOS, the tribunal redefined the maritime boundary between the two countries in 2022, recognizing Diego Garcia as a part of Mauritius.

In that case, which arose because both the Maldives and Mauritius could not obtain a full 200-nautical-mile maritime zone to the south, ITLOS divided the area such that the Maldives received a total of 47,232 square kilometers and Mauritius received 45,331 square kilometers. Prior to this, as Chagos was considered a British territory, there was no requirement to divide the maritime area between Mauritius and the Maldives.

In the Presidential Address delivered today at the opening session of the People's Majlis for this year, President Muizzu stated that international experts have advised that the letter sent by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih regarding the Chagos issue has negatively impacted the security of the Maldives' political territory, and therefore the Maldivian government has now decided to withdraw that letter.

The President said that the maritime area to the south of the Maldives will be considered as currently defined in the law.

Furthermore, the President stated that he would submit amendments to the Maritime Zones Act to the People's Majlis.

Referring to the President's remarks, the Ministry of Defence issued a statement today saying that since the President has made this declaration, the Maldives National Defence Force will work to the fullest extent of its capability to defend and monitor the Maldivian territory as specified in the Constitution and laws of the Maldives. The statement also noted that this is a matter of the highest interest to the Maldivian citizens.

"The Maldivian military will continue to do everything necessary to establish a conducive, peaceful, and secure environment to achieve economic and social benefits within the territory and seas of the Maldives in accordance with legal principles," the Defence Ministry's statement said.

According to the statement, the only agreement the Maldives has signed regarding the delimitation of its maritime territory is the 1976 agreement to divide the maritime area with countries to the north where a 200-nautical-mile zone was not available.

As the Maldives has not signed any such additional agreement with any other party, the statement noted that in all other areas, the 200-nautical-mile zone would be considered as a part of the Maldives.