President pledges 'swift' Makunudhoo airport completion, opening

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has pledged to complete the HDh. Makunudhoo airport project at the earliest possible date, saying he will return to the island to inaugurate the facility once construction is finished.

Makunudhoo, located in Haa Dhaalu Atoll, is one of the most geographically isolated islands in the Maldives. Residents have long raised concerns about travel difficulties and expressed hope that the airport project would resolve them.

During his visit to the island on Tuesday, President Muizzu officially handed over the airport development and additional land reclamation works to the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC). He acknowledged that the project is a priority for the community and said his administration would expedite its completion.

The President noted that much of the land reclamation had already been completed and that the government had decided to extend the site by an additional 1,800 metres. Under the new agreement, MTCC will reclaim 22 hectares of land for housing and community purposes, alongside carrying out all remaining airport works. The facility will be operated by Maldives Airports Company Limited (MACL).

Muizzu said the completion of the airport was now a government priority. “With the agreement signed today, all these works will be completed. The first priority will be to complete this project as soon as possible. I intend to return here next to open the airport,” he said.

The previous administration had awarded the initial reclamation work to Bigfish Maldives in June 2022. The dredging, valued at MVR 16 million, began in September 2022. The original design included a 1,500-metre runway, later extended to 1,800 metres under the current government.

Housing Minister Dr Abdulla Muththalib previously visited Makunudhoo in February during a by-election campaign, where he assured residents that work would begin soon.