2022 in the Maldives

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Decades:	2000s 2010s 2020s
See also:	Other events of 2022 Timeline of Maldivian history

The following lists events that happened during 2022 in the Maldives .

Incumbents

• President: Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
• Vice President: Faisal Naseem

Events

Ongoing

• COVID-19 pandemic in the Maldives

February

• 2 February – The Madivaru Airport is opened. ^[1]
• Australia establishes a permanent diplomatic presence in the Maldives, agreeing to collaborate on climate change, Indian Ocean security, and drug rehabilitation. ^[2]

March

• 2 March – The Maldives vote on a United Nations resolution condemning Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. ^{[3] [4]}
• 12 March – The Maldives sign an agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to strengthen economic and democratic governance and support sustainable development. ^[2]

April

• President Ibrahim Solih issues a decree banning the “India Out” campaign, citing national security concerns. ^[5]

May

• Civil society activists petition the High Court to repeal provisions of the Freedom of Assembly Act, which restricts protests to police-approved areas. ^[2]

June

• 1 June – The Maldivian government bans the production, import, and consumption of certain single-use plastics as part of its national waste management strategy. ^[6]
• Islamist extremists disrupt a 150-person International Yoga Day event in Male; authorities arrested six people. ^[2]

• The Maldivian parliament enacts the Evidence Act, allowing courts to compel journalists and media outlets to reveal sources, causing journalists to raise concerns about press freedom. ^[2]

July

• 15-24 July – The Maldives competes at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon with one athlete, sprinter Hassan Saaid, participating in the men’s 100 metres. ^[7]
• 28 July – The Maldives competes at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, marking its first appearance since rejoining the Commonwealth. 24 athletes (11 men, 13 women) take part, with no medals won. ^[8]
• The Adhaalath Party declares yoga forbidden for Muslims in the Maldives. ^[2]
• Police arrest three men for allegedly engaging in consensual same-sex relations with a Bangladeshi national. ^[2]

August

• President Ibrahim Solih visits New Delhi, reaffirming the “India First” policy and support for the Greater Male Connectivity Project. ^[2]

September

• 15 September – Ahmed Sattar is sentenced to three months and 26 days of home confinement for engaging in homosexual relations. ^[2]
• The UN Working Group on discrimination against women and girls visits the Maldives to assess progress on gender equality, praising commitments but noting persistent societal and legal barriers. ^[2]

October

• 3 October – President Ibrahim Solih declares the day a government holiday to mark the first National Tourism Day, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of tourism in the Maldives. ^[9]
• 17-24 October – The Maldives hosts an international mission of the Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI), with participation from the Asian and Pacific Centre for the Development of Disaster Information Management (APDIM). ^[10]
• 18 October – President Ibrahim Solih inaugurates the Maldives International Challenge 2022 badminton tournament with players from 25 countries. ^[11]

November

• 5-7 November – Vice President Faisal Naseem attends the COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, South Sinai, delivering the Maldives’ national statement and highlighting the country’s climate action plans, including its commitment to net zero emissions by 2030. ^[12]
• President Ibrahim Solih ratifies the Associations Act, introducing NGO financial disclosure requirements and limited state funding. ^[5]

December

• 25 December – Former President Abdulla Yameen is convicted of money laundering and bribery and sentenced to 11 years in prison. ^{[5] [13]}

References

1. "Maldives opens its second airport in Lhaviyani". www.tradearabia.com. 2 February 2022.
2. Human Rights Watch (2023-01-12), "Maldives: Events of 2022", Share this via Facebook, retrieved 2025-08-27
3. Borger, Julian (2022-03-02). Written at Washington, D.C.. "UN votes to condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine and calls for withdrawal". The Guardian . London. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
4. Saric, Ivana; Basu, Zachary (2022-03-02). "141 countries vote to condemn Russia at UN". Axios . Archived from the original on 2022-03-06. Retrieved 2022-03-07.
5. "Maldives: Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
6. "Maldives Is Turning Waste to Wealth, Energizing Youth, to Safeguard its Future". World Bank. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
7. "Entry List" (PDF). World Athletics. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 9 July 2022.
8. "Maldives re-joins as member of Commonwealth Games Federation". The Times of India. 2020-09-01. ISSN   0971-8257 . Retrieved 2025-08-27.
9. "The President declares 3 October 2022 as a government holiday". The President's Office. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
10. "International Mission of the Capacity for Disaster Reduction Initiative (CADRI) to the Maldives, 17-24 October 2022 | APDIM". apdim.unescap.org. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
11. "The President inaugurates Maldives International Challenge 2022 badminton tournament". The President's Office. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
12. "The Vice President arrives in Egypt for COP27". The President's Office. Retrieved 2025-08-27.
13. "Maldives former president Yameen gets 11-year jail term". Reuters. 2022-12-25. Retrieved 2025-08-27.