Emergency Motion Calls for Disclosure of Ras Malé Agreement

An emergency motion has been submitted to the People’s Majlis calling on the government to disclose the agreement under which Ras Malé is being leased to UAE-based developer Eagle Hills.

The motion, submitted by opposition MP Meekail Ahmed Nasym, raises concerns over the agreement signed on 21 September and sets out six main areas of concern.

These include:

1. The motion argues that withholding the agreement could harm state finances and create opportunities for corruption.
   
2. It questions the transfer of land reclaimed using public funds without recovering the costs incurred by the state.
   
3. It raises concerns over the granting of 500 hectares of reclaimed land for a 99-year lease.
   
4. The motion questions the decision to grant the land without charging an acquisition fee or land rent.
   
5. It raises concerns over provisions allowing Eagle Hills to lease the property to third parties and generate revenue from those arrangements.
   
6. The motion argues that the arrangement may conflict with constitutional provisions concerning the transfer of Maldivian territory to foreign parties. It also refers to previous assurances by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu that Ras Malé would not be handed over to foreign entities.
   

Under the agreement, a foreign national who purchases an apartment in Ras Malé and subsequently sells or gifts the property during the lease period would trigger a new 99-year lease period, according to the terms outlined in the motion.

The motion also raises questions over the legal framework governing the 99-year arrangement. While the Constitution permits land to be granted to foreigners for periods of up to 99 years, Meekail argues that there is no specific enabling legislation governing such a framework.

Existing laws provide different limits. The Tourism Act permits leases of up to 50 years, with the possibility of a further 49-year extension. Under the Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Act, land may be granted to foreign entities for up to 66 years, with an extension of up to 33 years.

Under the Ras Malé agreement, the state will not charge an acquisition fee or land rent. Instead, the government is expected to receive 10 per cent of revenue from the sale of commercial properties and 4 per cent from apartment sales.

In the vote taken on whether to debate the emergency motion, it was passed with a majority of 53 votes from the 54 members present in Parliament, with one member presiding in the chair.