MDP Demands Explanation on Omission of Maldives-UK Free Trade Agreement in Talks
Communique of the Second Strategic Dialogue between the Maldives and the United Kingdom | Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) has called on President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s administration to explain why a potential Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the Maldives and the United Kingdom was not addressed during recent talks between the two countries.
ނޫސްބަޔާން: މޯލްޑިވްސް-ޔޫކޭ ޑަޔަލޮގުން އެފްޓީއޭގެ ވާހަކަ އުނިކޮށްފައިވާ ސަބަބު ހާމަކުރުމަށް ސަރުކާރަށް ގޮވާލުން pic.twitter.com/8My5g6z6Lz
— MDP Secretariat (@MDPSecretariat) June 1, 2025advertisement
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Negotiations for the agreement were initially launched in 2023. The second strategic dialogue between the Maldives and the UK took place in Malé on Wednesday, 28 May. However, the Foreign Ministry’s communique on the meeting made no mention of discussions about the FTA, which would enable Maldivian fish exports to enter the UK market tariff-free.
The MDP expressed concern in a statement issued on Sunday over the absence of any reference to the agreement, which it described as a key initiative started under former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration to develop the fisheries sector. Efforts by the previous government had already reduced the UK’s tariff on Maldivian fish exports from 24 per cent to 20 per cent in 2020.
Initial talks concluded with the UK inviting public input to prepare for formal negotiations on a goods-only FTA in June 2023. According to the MDP, the agreement was scheduled to be enforced by 2025 under the previous administration’s timeline.
The party highlighted that more than half of Maldivian canned tuna exports go to the UK, making the country a crucial market for the fisheries sector. The MDP argued that eliminating tariffs on fish products would significantly benefit Maldivian fishermen by increasing the value of their exports.
The MDP described the FTA as a potential transformative agreement for the fisheries industry and expressed deep concern that it was omitted from the recent bilateral dialogue. The party urged the government to clarify to the Maldivian public why the FTA was excluded from discussions.
Currently, the Maldives is one of the few Commonwealth countries with which the UK neither has an FTA nor grants preferential access to its market.
