The Maldives launched a new fisheries brand and sought British investment in emerging sectors including climate technology, creative industries and digitalisation during the Maldives-UK Business Forum 2025 held in London on Thursday.
President Mohamed Muizzu led the Maldivian delegation at the forum, which brought together senior officials, UK business leaders and institutional partners at The Landmark London hotel to deepen economic ties between the two countries.
The president highlighted the UK’s significant contributions to the Maldives’ two economic pillars—tourism and fisheries—and expressed a desire to expand the partnership into emerging sectors including creative industries, climate technology and digitisation, according to a press release from the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. He said these areas align with the country’s national development goals to build “a resilient and diversified economy.”
The forum aimed to provide UK businesses with a comprehensive overview of investment opportunities in the Maldives, outline national development plans, and highlight prospects across key sectors, the economic ministry said. Officials sought to reassure potential investors by pointing to ongoing regulatory reforms and the government’s efforts to build a more transparent, investor-friendly environment.
An open dialogue session was also held as part of the forum, which gave British investors the opportunity to pose questions directly to four Cabinet ministers. Foreign Minister Abdulla Khaleel, Tourism and Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim, Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam and Economic Minister Mohamed Saeed provided insights into the government’s priorities—ranging from tourism and renewable energy to fisheries, finance and sustainability. The ministers spoke about policy changes underway to attract foreign investment and outlined specific incentives available to businesses looking to enter or expand in the Maldives.
The government also used the forum to launch the Maldives Fisheries Brand, a campaign aimed at strengthening the country’s position in global markets for sustainably sourced fish products.
In addition, the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade signed a memorandum of understanding with the West London Chambers of Commerce to promote long-term institutional cooperation and strengthen business linkages between the two countries.
The forum concluded with a networking session that brought together public and private sector participants to explore future collaboration.
The event marks a “significant step forward” in strengthening economic ties between the Maldives and the UK, the government said.