Türkiye-Maldives trade pact enters into force

ANKARA

A preferential trade agreement between Türkiye and the Maldives entered into force on Aug. 1, granting Turkish exporters tariff advantages on 404 products, the Trade Ministry has announced.

Under the agreement, the Maldives will abolish customs duties on 293 tariff lines covering Turkish goods, while existing duty-free treatment for another 111 lines will remain in place.

The products include iron and steel goods, aluminum sheets, electrical components, refrigerators, air conditioners, televisions, vessels, furniture, plastics, cosmetics and selected food products.

Average customs duties in the Maldives are around 16 percent, Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said.

Türkiye, in return, will grant duty reductions or exemptions on 154 tariff lines covering mainly fish and seafood products from the Maldives, including fishmeal, swordfish and several shrimp varieties.

The agreement also includes provisions on market access, technical barriers to trade, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, trade facilitation and rules of origin.

Bolat and Maldivian Economic Development and Trade Minister Mohamed Saeed signed the agreement in Istanbul on Nov. 4, 2024.

The Turkish parliament approved the pact in October 2025, and the ratification decision was published in the Official Gazette on Dec. 19.

Bolat said bilateral trade totaled $69 million in 2025 and was expected to rise following the agreement’s entry into force.