17 January 2025

Welcome to Iss: 2 of Vol: 1 of the Journal of Maldives Economy Today.

Our economic and fiscal landscape faces a difficult terrain in 2025. While the tourism industry remains sturdy with decent growth indicators, there are clear indicators that average revenue is on the decline. The fisheries industry has had one of the worst years in recent times both in terms of landings and export earnings. The outlook for the fiscal landscape too, remains in alarming condition.

Maldives Economy Today is committed to observe, monitor and publish on developments on a timely manner and indeed some of the articles in this issue harken to such issues of import.

In this issue we are pleased to offer Haleem’s article on ‘Higher tourist arrivals may not necessarily contribute to the increase in tourism revenue’, Ahmed’s article on ‘Broken systems, Broken Lives: the Cost of Sri Lanka’s Economic Collapse’ and Athif’s article on ‘Stargazing in the fiscal landscape of 2025’, all of which explore relevant and portent issues that warrant scrutiny and study.

Athif’s article on ‘Implications flowing from the decision to dissolve the PCB’ explores the gravity of the absence of the PCB on the fate and fortune of SOEs and Haleem’s article on ‘Deurbanization: the Economics of beauty and serenity’ is an introspective journey on an alternative modality for the urban development of the country.

We are pleased to inform that Maldives Economy Today have also decided to issue a ‘Monthly Update’ of the economic landscape, the first of which will be released in February. The short summary version of monthly development will be available on our website for all. However, the thought is that we will, by the end of the 1st quarter 2025, start to offer a more detailed update that will offer implications and consequences for those of our readers who require depth. 

We would be really glad to hear the thoughts of our readers on the importance and need of such a development and look forward to hear your thoughts at editor@maldiveseconomy.mv.

Ibrahim Athif Shakoor
Editor