President highlights the challenges faced by small island nations to the international community
Calls for countries to work together
For many years, the Maldives’ participation in international conferences and meetings was largely focused on presenting the country’s own concerns and priorities. However, since President Dr Mohamed Muizzu assumed office, his participation in international forums has increasingly involved advocating not only for the Maldives but also for the rights and interests of other small island nations.
At the ongoing COP31 climate summit in Türkiye, President Muizzu has used his speeches to bring important issues to the attention of the international community. These include the need for grant-based assistance to help countries adapt to climate change, reforms to international financial institutions and the practical progress the Maldives is making in renewable energy.
During the summit’s high-level meeting, while delivering the Maldives’ national statement, President Muizzu highlighted the challenges faced by other small island nations alongside those confronting the Maldives.
“The Maldives is not asking for sympathy. We are calling for fairness, accountability and action. It is not fair to force countries to borrow money to recover from disasters they did little to cause. Protecting ourselves from climate change must not become an unbearable debt burden,” the President said.
In addition to advocating for small island nations at international forums, President Muizzu has also shared important achievements made by the Maldives. He noted that last month, the Maldives’ first national Direct Access Entity received accreditation from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), making the country the first among Asia’s small island nations to achieve this distinction.
“This demonstrates the readiness of our institutions to secure climate finance and use it in the most effective way,” the President said.
President Muizzu also spoke about the Government’s efforts to expand renewable energy and the progress achieved in this area. He highlighted ongoing initiatives to meet the national target of generating 33 per cent of the country’s electricity from renewable sources by the end of 2028. He also pointed to major projects, including Project Solar City, as evidence of the Maldives’ growing momentum towards clean energy.
Throughout his speeches, the President repeatedly emphasized the need for international support to help small island nations address the impacts of climate change. He stressed that international financial institutions and credit-rating agencies must reconsider how they assess spending on climate resilience.
“Instead of treating expenditure on climate protection as a financial burden, it must be recognised as an investment in the future of all of us,” President Muizzu said.
After highlighting the concerns of small island nations, the President called on the international community to work together with a sense of responsibility. He urged countries to demonstrate through COP31 that coordinated international action can deliver meaningful results.
Alongside environmental issues and the rights of small island nations, President Muizzu’s advocacy for the Palestinian people has also remained prominent at international forums. During the summit, he met with the Prime Minister of Palestine and reaffirmed the Maldives’ continued commitment to standing up for the rights of the Palestinian people.
