President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has established a special commission to investigate the Maldives’ handling of its maritime boundary dispute with Mauritius at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).

The commission was established under Presidential Decree No. 2026/17, pursuant to Article 115(o) of the Constitution.

The President’s Office said the inquiry follows reports by international experts indicating that the Maldives had lost a significant portion of its maritime territory due to the State’s handling of the case, with serious implications for the country’s fisheries and marine resources.

The seven-member commission is chaired by Ahmed Shakir (ODRDD).

Its mandate includes reviewing the handling of the case from its filing through the proceedings, examining the conduct of State officials and advisers involved, and determining whether any legal negligence occurred.

The commission will also investigate how case-related documents were maintained and preserved, identify appropriate accountability measures and recommend safeguards to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The commission will remain in place until the President determines that its assigned tasks have been completed.