The Commonwealth Day is an opportunity to celebrate the Commonwealth principles and values. The modern Commonwealth, which came into being following the London Declaration of 1949, represents one-quarter of the world's countries brought together by a commitment to shared values of equality, democracy, good governance, the rule of law, and the protection of human rights. These values and principles, most clearly articulated in the 2009 Affirmation, would continue to guide the member-States of the Commonwealth in their strive to improve the lives of their peoples. The values also help the Commonwealth and its member-States in building national resilience, a theme of the 2011 Commonwealth Summit in Perth, Australia.
This year's Commonwealth Day theme, Opportunity through Enterprise,highlights the critical importance of protecting and promoting the core values of the Commonwealth. Human innovation, particularly entrepreneurial innovation, could thrive only in an environment where human rights are fully protected, where individual freedom is guaranteed, and where the rule of law is upheld. It is precisely the type of environment that the Maldives is striving to create in the country with a democratic reform programme that began a few years back. While the democratisation programme brings with it challenges, it also creates enormous opportunities for empowering youth, women, and men so that they become more enterprising individuals. The Commonwealth is ideally placed to become a partner with emerging democracies like the Maldives in designing and implementing programmes that create opportunities through enterprise. For, it is such continued and close partnership, as opposed to public statements that criticise the democratic institutions of a country that can help to cultivate and nurture the values of democracy in a society.
We celebrate the Commonwealth Day, because we cherish the Commonwealth's core values and principles, which, we believe, are worth promoting at national and global levels. We value our membership in the organisation because the Commonwealth has a large number of small states, and the organisation plays an important and visible role in highlighting the vulnerabilities of small states in global politics.
As such the Commonwealth should not be allowed to be used as an arena by some to target small states such as the Maldives; especially at a time when the country is at its most vulnerable stage in democratic transition. It is important that the Commonwealth uphold its principles of democracy and equality within the organisation to ensure that it is used as a forum that positively benefits all member states. The Commonwealth, therefore, is in need of urgent reform to make it a more relevant association for all its members, irrespective of size. The Maldives would continue to work with other member States in its efforts to bring the necessary reforms to the Commonwealth and its working methods to ensure that the organisation is not used by anyone as an instrument to promote their own political interests.
The Maldives calls upon the Commonwealth to give true meaning to the principles enshrined in the new Commonwealth Charter; principles of democracy, human rights, rule of law, separation of powers and good governance.
ENDS.