Youth empowerment remains one of the Government's highest priorities, with policies aimed at expanding opportunities in education, employment and business expected to deliver long-term benefits for young people, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said.

Speaking in the fifth episode of the The Pulse podcast, which focused on youth empowerment, the President said young people are central to the country's development and outlined the Administration's efforts to strengthen their economic independence. He said loan schemes have been introduced to increase youth ownership of businesses, encourage greater participation in the private sector and remove barriers limiting their professional growth.

The President also highlighted measures to expand access to higher education, support students in completing their studies and strengthen vocational education, saying the Government wants more young Maldivians to enter the workforce with either academic or technical qualifications. He added that the Maldivian National Service Programme has also created employment and housing opportunities for young people.

Turning to employment, President Dr Muizzu said undocumented expatriate workers continue to affect opportunities available to young professionals. He said work on a lasting solution to the issue is nearing completion and called for a collective effort to address it, adding that the Government's long-term vision is to prioritise Maldivians in employment and entrepreneurship while nurturing local talent across different sectors.

The President also reaffirmed the Administration's target of increasing the creative economy's contribution to 15 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2030, saying policies are being implemented to expand the sector and strengthen its contribution to the national economy.

On infrastructure, President Dr Muizzu said sports development projects are being implemented across the Maldives rather than being concentrated in Malé, with work expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2028. He also said the Administration is taking a broader approach to youth well-being by strengthening mental health support, noting that mental health is closely linked to wider life circumstances and that holistic measures are being implemented to support young people.

President Dr Muizzu added that the Administration's overall approach is to create conditions that enable Maldivians to build prosperous and independent lives. He expressed confidence that the Government's youth-focused policies and initiatives would overcome existing challenges and deliver positive outcomes for the nation's youth.