The Maldives' economy has returned to pre-COVID-19 levels, Finance Minister Ibrahim Ameer has announced.
The minister's announcement comes as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said in a statement after a staff visit to the Maldives that the Maldives' economy is growing rapidly.
Minister Ameer Sunday said the economy was brought back to pre-COVID-19 levels due to the strong measures taken to overcome the pandemic and the results of the government's economic policy.
"The economy has returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our target of hosting 1.6 million tourists by the end of 2022 was met. This year, 1.8 million tourists are expected to visit the Maldives," he said.
The minister said President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih is not taking the decisions necessary to overcome the economic crisis for political gain. President Solih has always put the interests of the country and the people first, he said.
Ameer added that economic policies are compromised in neighboring countries in the pursuit of political power, resulting in great losses for the countries.
The government has already predicted that the economy will return to pre-COVID-19 levels this year. The post-pandemic economy is growing faster than previously forecast, according to some global financial institutions. However, financial institutions are constantly urging the Maldives government to take measures to reduce debt.
