Your Excellency President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom,
Distinguished Ministers of Foreign and External Affairs of SAARC
Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to extend a very warm welcome to the President of Maldives and the current Chairman of SAARC His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. Thank you Mr. President, for inaugurating the thirty-fifth session of the SAARC Council of Ministers and for steering the Association since assuming Office of the Chair in November last year.
It also gives me great pleasure to welcome all the SAARC Foreign Ministers to the Maldives, for the convening of the Thirty-Fifth session of the SAARC Council of Ministers. The Maldives is always happy to receive its friends; to experience the beautiful sun and the clear turquoise waters that we in the Maldives, are so very proud of. I understand that the preceding sessions have been very fruitful. I have no doubt that today's meeting of the Council of Ministers will be equally successful. We might even be able to conclude the meeting earlier than scheduled, and your Excellencies would have some time to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the Maldives before you depart.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
South Asia has many contradictions; it faces huge challenges from sea-level rise - to severe floods - to glacial melts. But it also holds the power of being the most dynamic region in the world: it boasts of pluralism and diversity; of immense potential and energy; Energy that is derived from the peaks of the Himalayas; from the colours of the Rangolis - and from the waves of the Indian Ocean... SAARC collectively, can indeed make a difference.
Excellencies,
The Maldives' position in SAARC is premised on none other than the SAARC Charter itself. The founders of SAARC had the prudence of viewing mutual understanding and meaningful cooperation between neighbours as the key ingredients in shaping regional integration. They were aware of the common problems, the common interests and the common aspirations of the people of the region. And they were convinced that only through joint action within the respective political and economic systems could collective self-reliance be achieved. In short, they had a very clear vision - A resilient and strong South Asia.
However, we have yet to attain our full potential. I am sure we all agree that while SAARC's achievements are significant; when viewed through a global lens, we have quite some way to go towards achieving the goals set out in the SAARC Charter.
The Maldives has always maintained a self-critical view of the Organisation. We believe that reform from within is a necessity. As long as SAARC exists as a vehicle for regional cooperation, it should shift to reform-gear to ensure that it stays in touch with the pulse of its people and citizens. To this effect the Maldives has been a constant advocate of reform. Sometimes a lone voice, but we have repeatedly called for a lean and efficient Organisation.
It is true that some of the initiatives we have proposed in the past have been quite ambitious and many have raised eyebrows. But I would like to assure our friends that our ultimate goal has always been for a more integrated South Asia. Although the smallest in the Group, we dream big. Therefore, our proposals and initiatives have been purely driven by our desire to attain deeper and meaningful regional integration.
On this note, I take great pride in recalling the initiative of former President of Maldives and founder member of SAARC, His Excellency Mr. Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, at the Malé Summit in 1997, which established the SAARC Group of Eminent Persons who were mandated to undertake a comprehensive appraisal of SAARC. The report of the GEP was groundbreaking at that time. It was comprehensive and frank. Its recommendations were timely and constructive. Nonetheless, while the GEP's recommendations with regard to expansion have been welcomed, the same for trimming the Organisation have, sadly, remained unrealised.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our officials have held extensive discussions on the comprehensive study aimed at strenghthening SAARC mechanisms and I congratulate the Secretariat for the wide ranging recommendations contain therein. The Maldives strongly believes that the study forms an excellent basis on which some bold decisions need to be taken. I am looking forward to discussing this and making these decisions in our meeting today.
Reform of SAARC processes and mechanisms can no longer be just words on paper.
For my Delegation, reform of SAARC mechanisms is based on achieving collective group.
To achieve regional resilience, SAARC needs to trim the frills and make efficiency its operational motto. While these may seem mundane, institutional restructuring and adaptation is the only way to ensure that SAARC remains relevant and robust in an ever-changing world.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I look forward to having fruitful deliberations with Your Excellencies when we convene shortly for the formal session.
Thank you.