Govt axes Hankede halal tourism project, reversing June decision

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration has axed a planned halal tourism project in Addu City’s Hankede, reversing a decision made three months back.

Running halal tourism projects in regions with little tourism activity is one of President Muizzu’s pledges. In June, the Tourism Ministry named Hankede as one of several islands that President Muizzu had decided to designate exclusively for development of halal tourism.

The former Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) administration has planned to run an integrated tourism project in Hankede. But a 2021 decree issued by then-President Ibrahim Mohamed Muizzu for the purpose was repealed by President Muizzu on Wednesday.

In a post on X on Thursday, Tourism Minister Thoriq Ibrahim announced that in addition to repealing the presidential decree, Hankede had also been removed from the list of islands designated for halal tourism.

“…as this island has been removed from the list of islands designated for halal tourism, the Ministry of Tourism and Environment is engaged in all necessary efforts to open Addu City’s Hankede for development as an integrated tourism project through a tendering process,” wrote Thoriq.

އައްޑޫ ސިޓީގެ ހަންކެޑަ ތަރައްޤީކުރުމަށް މިނިސްޓްރީ އޮފް ޓޫރިޒަމް އެންޑް އެންވަޔަރަންމަންޓް އާއި މޯލްޑިވްސް ފަންޑް މެނޭޖްމަންޓް ކޯޕަރޭޝަނާ ދެމެދު ވެފައިވާ އެއްބަސްވުން 28 ސެޕްޓެންބަރު 2025 ގައި ބާޠިލުކުރުމާ އަދި ރައީސުލްޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާގެ ޤަރާރު ނަންބަރު 25/2025 (1 އޮކްޓޫބަރު 2025)…

— Thoriq Ibrahim (@Thoriqibrahim) October 2, 2025

He added that the administration aims to begin developmental works in Hankede before the end of this year, and operationalize the island before the end of the current presidential term.

Thoriq added that Addu City’s Dhonhere will be made open for tender later Thursday for a halal tourism project, instead of Handeke.

The decision to run designate Hankede for halal tourism had sparked concern from the opposition, as well as the ruling party’s lawmakers for Addu constituencies. MDP chairperson and former economic minister Fayyaz Ismail had opinioned that it is not viable to develop Hankede to a halal tourism concept.

The former MDP administration had announced plans to run an integrated tourism project in Hankede in January 2023, ahead of the party’s presidential primary. They had also publicized illustrations for the project.

However, work on the project never started.

President Muizzu’s administration had initially planned to run a real estate tourism project in Hankede. The project was assigned to the Maldives Fund Management Corporation, and an agreement was signed with the China National Electrical Engineering Company (CNEEC) for the project.

But two months after the ground breaking ceremony in April, the administration decided to designate Hankede for halal tourism.

Hankede is an island promised for various developmental projects dating back to former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s administration. However, none of these projects materialized.