The launch of passport issuance services in Alifu Dhaalu Mahibadhoo is more than an administrative milestone; it is a defining moment in President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s decentralisation agenda, and a clear signal that reform is beginning to take tangible shape.

For decades, the imbalance between Malé and the atolls has been a persistent flaw in public service delivery. Something as fundamental as obtaining a passport required long, expensive journeys to the capital – a reminder that access to the state often depended on geography. Even the introduction of online systems in recent years could not close the gap, as verification and collection still pulled citizens back to Malé.

When President Dr Mohamed Muizzu assumed office, more than 3,000 citizens were on the waiting list for their national ID cards. Recognising the urgency of the issue, his administration made the improvement of ID and passport services a key priority – clearing the backlog, refining related policies, and introducing new measures to ensure greater accessibility for all citizens. On 16 November 2024, President Dr Muizzu launched a nationwide initiative to establish national ID and passport issuance services across the Maldives, a significant step towards more efficient and decentralised public service delivery.

That is why the establishment of passport issuance services in every atoll represents more than convenience; it represents fairness. It is the practical expression of a promise to make the state accessible to all Maldivians, wherever they live. When Minister of Homeland Security and Technology Ali Ihusaan inaugurated the Mahibadhoo passport facility, three months ahead of schedule, it was not merely a ceremonial representation. It was the culmination of a pledge made by the President and fulfilled through coordination between Maldives Immigration, local councils, and the central Government. National ID card issuance was rolled out nationwide with the service being inaugurated in Vaavu Felidhoo on 19 September.

For island residents, the benefits are immediate and deeply felt. No longer must families set aside funds and days of travel to obtain a document that should be their right. No longer must small island councils feel peripheral to national governance. This initiative restores dignity to local administration and rekindles the connection between the Department of National Registration and communities – a link that had weakened during the pandemic years.

The Government’s decision to extend ID card services to countries with large Maldivian populations such as Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, and the United Kingdom adds a global dimension to this effort. It acknowledges that the Maldivian identity now stretches far beyond its shores, and that the state must meet its citizens wherever they are.

But ambition alone will not sustain this success. True decentralisation demands consistency, not just celebration. The challenge ahead lies in ensuring that these new facilities remain efficient, responsive, and well-supported; that they do not become symbols of progress only on paper. 

Yet, even with that caveat, this reform deserves recognition. Sixty years after the first Maldivian passport was issued, every atoll now holds access to this fundamental service. It is a powerful statement that decentralisation need not remain a slogan. With intent, coordination, and accountability, it can become a living reality; one that narrows the distance between citizen and state. In this regard, President Dr Muizzu has assured all citizens that his Administration will continue to place priority on community-focused development, and initiatives that take into account the citizen’s needs at an individual level.

The Administration has shown that real reform begins not with grand promises from the centre, but with practical steps that empower the periphery. The Mahibadhoo passport service is one such step – modest in scale, perhaps, but monumental in meaning.