Save Addu to Hold a Panel Discussion on the Indian Consulate Issue

It has been announced that a panel discussion titled “Save Addu” has been scheduled for Friday the 4th of June, 2021. This panel discussion, which will focus on the recently revealed plan to establish an Indian Consulate in Addu City, will include many experts from various fields as panelists.

Professor Hassan Ugail, who is the Director of the Centre for Visual Computing at the University of Bradford, UK, as well as the President of the Ugail Foundation is one such panelist, as is Captain (retd) Ali Ihusaan – formerly of the MNDF – who has an academic background in defense and strategic studies as well as global leadership and management, in addition to being the CEO of Happymarket Trading Company.

They are joined by Hassan Shahid, former Deputy Mayor of Addu City Council; and Mohamed Nashid, who has an academic background in international politics in addition to 25 years of government service, 18 of which was spent in the Maldives Foreign Service; as well as Mohamed Shihab, who is a known and respected social sector advocate.

The panel discussion, which will be livestreamed via the Facebook and Twitter pages of the Save Addu campaign, is scheduled to begin at 2100hrs on Friday night.

Since the Indian Cabinet announced its decision to establish a consulate in Addu City, a group of youth from the city have banded together and created a petition opposing this decision. Many Maldivians have also taken to social media to express grave concerns regarding this decision.
However, Mayor Ali Nizar as well as the parliamentarians representing constituencies within the city maintain that the establishment of this consulate as planned will herald an era of development for Addu City.