Former President Mohamed Nasheed outlined a proposal to develop a transhipment port and a “green economic corridor” in Addu, which would connect East Africa and Southeast Asia.
Nasheed said Addu’s greatest advantage lies in its geographical position at the centre of the Indian Ocean, with Africa on one side and Southeast Asian countries, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore on the other. As the Indian Ocean is a major global shipping route, Nasheed argued that Addu is strategically positioned to benefit from this traffic.
“I think the best place to start this corridor is Mombasa in Kenya, then Addu and Jakarta in Indonesia. If you look at the map of the Indian Ocean, you will understand what I am saying,” he said.
Under the proposal, Addu would function as a transshipment hub. Containers from Mombasa would be transported by smaller vessels to Addu, where goods would be offloaded. Ships from Jakarta would do the same, with returning vessels carrying cargo transferred from the opposite side.
Addu aai gulhey baeh vaahaka. pic.twitter.com/wTFYzIukdh
— Mohamed Nasheed (@MohamedNasheed) March 2, 2026
Nasheed further added that the corridor should be developed as a “green” initiative, powered by renewable energy and designed with environmental considerations at its core.
