Hanimaadhoo International Airport Declared a National Asset Driving Northern Prosperity
Photo: The President’s Office
The Managing Director of Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL), Ibrahim Shareef Mohamed, has described the newly redeveloped Hanimaadhoo International Airport (HIA) as a national asset that will drive economic growth across the northern Maldives.
Speaking at the official inauguration ceremony held yesterday, Shareef said the airport represented a major milestone in regional development and a long-awaited dream realised for the people of Boduthiladhummathi. He noted that the airport’s completion would open new opportunities for tourism, trade, and investment, positioning it as a key economic hub for the Upper North.
advertisement
advertisement
advertisement
Shareef highlighted that the airport was developed with modern facilities capable of accommodating international operations, projecting that it could handle up to 1.5 million tourists annually. He added that the project would generate thousands of new jobs and boost foreign currency inflows, creating lasting benefits for the wider economy.
The MACL head also credited President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration for accelerating the project’s completion. He stated that when the current government assumed office, only around 30 percent of the work had been completed, with critical components such as the passenger terminal, cargo terminal, jetty, fire station, and power plant still under development.
His remarks were made against the backdrop of ongoing political debate regarding airport ownership and privatisation. Former President Mohamed Nasheed recently proposed selling a stake in Velana International Airport to help settle the country’s debt obligations, while former President Abdulla Yameen had accused the government of planning to sell Hanimaadhoo Airport to India’s Adani Group — an allegation denied by the government.
