President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said the Government's foreign policy will continue to be guided by national values and the interests of the Maldivian people, while reaffirming that the ban on Israeli passport holders entering the Maldives will remain in force.

Speaking at the official Independence Day ceremony on Sunday, President Dr Muizzu said political independence alone was not enough to define a truly independent nation. He said a country's sovereignty should also be measured by the independence of its foreign and domestic policies, judiciary, economy, development and society, adding that these were inseparable from Islam, the Dhivehi language, Maldivian culture and traditions.

The President said the Government's foreign policy in the past was centred on protecting the interests and well-being of Maldivians while maintaining close relations with countries that supported the nation's development. He said previous governments had adopted different foreign policy approaches, including periods when the Maldives' foreign policy was not independently determined by the Maldivian state, adding that such an approach was not in the country's best interests.

Reaffirming the Government's position on the conflict in Palestine, President Dr Muizzu said the ban on Israeli passport holders entering the Maldives would remain in force as long as Israel continued what he described as atrocities against the Palestinian people. He also criticised previous administrations of pursuing policies favourable to Israel while distancing the Maldives from Arab and Islamic countries, saying his Administration would continue strengthening ties with Arab and Islamic nations alongside all countries that contribute positively to the Maldives.

The President said Maldivians are a peace-loving people and reiterated that the Maldives would continue to oppose war, adding that differences between countries should be resolved through dialogue. He also called for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), saying the organisation remained important for regional peace and development, and said the Maldives was prepared to help facilitate dialogue between member states to support its reactivation.

Highlighting the Maldives' role within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), President Dr Muizzu said he was proud of the country's contributions to the organisation and reaffirmed the Government's commitment to working with international partners in a manner that reflects the country's national values and priorities.

The ban on Israeli passport holders was ratified by President Dr Muizzu on 15 April 2025 through the Third Amendment to the Maldives Immigration Act, following growing public concern over the genocide in Gaza and widespread calls across the Maldives to demonstrate solidarity with the Palestinian people.