Former President Mohamed Nasheed has suggested offering Maldivian citizenship to qualified foreigners as an incentive to work in Addu City, emphasizing that population growth is key to the city’s development rather than administrative division.

His remarks come ahead of the upcoming public referendum scheduled for October 25, where residents of Feydhoo, Hulhudhoo, and Meedhoo will decide whether to form separate island councils or retain the current composition of Addu City Council.

The referendum, announced by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on September 17, marks the first to be held under the newly enacted Public Referendum Act.

In a post on X on Monday, Nasheed cautioned that dividing Addu City would bring “no further advantage,” arguing instead that the focus should be on attracting people and expertise to strengthen the city’s economy and services.

To achieve this, he proposed granting Maldivian citizenship to educated foreigners with technical expertise, provided they work in Addu for a fixed period. Nasheed added that there would be no shortage of young professionals such as doctors, teachers, and other specialists from across the Islamic world who would welcome such an opportunity.

reiterating that a larger and more skilled population is essential for meaningful development.

Addu City was granted city status during Nasheed’s administration in 2011.

With the referendum now approaching, debate continues among residents: some advocate for maintaining the unified city council, while others favor the establishment of separate councils for greater local autonomy.