Corruption in the Maldives

Incidences of corruption hinder political, social, and economic development and expose Maldives to peace, safety, and security risks.

While he was noted for developing the country’s tourism industry, his long tenure was marked by allegations of corruption and financial irregularities.

A report by Al Jazeera English in 2016 uncovered a $1.5 billion money laundering scheme, which involved Singaporean and Malaysian businessmen.

It also included the lease of at least 50 islands of the archipelagic country to private companies without public tender to benefit government officials.

[4] He was accused of pocketing kickbacks from a private company and for embezzling $1 million from state funds derived from resort development rights.

The tourism industry, which is the country’s main source of revenue, took a hit and the government scrambled to address the pandemic through emergency procurement.

These include the state’s crackdown on activists and civil society organizations, a move that the extremists had demanded since they allegedly insulted Islam.

Key anti-corruption initiatives included the Whistleblower Protection Act, which entailed legislation aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability.