State pledges realizing SEZ plan in five years

Maldives has been exploring possibilities of reducing its dependency on the tourism industry by introducing special economic zones (SEZ) and encouraging a diverse range of investments in them, with the broader objective of expanding the country's overall economy.

A special law for this purpose was implemented in 2014, and in the following year, the government announced the SEZ. However, efforts related to SEZ have been shelved unceremoniously, and it remains an unrealized dream to date.