Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Hood says although the government has decided not to hold Independence Day celebrations, government offices would be closed from 26th July to 3rd August.

Hood said that the government had previously decided to close its offices on the occasion of Independence Day on the 28th and 29th of July and the decision remains unchanged.

While the government would be closed from 26th July to 29th July on the occasion of Independence Day, 30th and 31st of July fall on the Hajj and Eid al-Adha of this year respectively and hence the government offices would be closed.

As Eid al-Adha falls on a Friday, the next three days from 1st of August to 3rd of August government offices would be closed to celebrate the occasion of the Eid.

The government had said that President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih along with his cabinet opted not to hold Independence Day celebration to adhere to the ‘new normal’ rules amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The government had also said that the decision would help reduce state expenditure, as part of the Government’s ongoing recovery efforts from the economic repercussions of the pandemic.