The meeting was held virtually this year under the theme “Fostering solidarity between Archipelagic and Island States: Towards a Sustainable Ocean Future”
Foreign Secretary His Excellency Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, today participated in the Third Ministerial Meeting of the Archipelagic Island States (AIS) Forum. The meeting was held virtually this year under the theme “Fostering solidarity between Archipelagic and Island States: Towards a Sustainable Ocean Future”.
The meeting brought together Ministers from 47 Archipelagic States aiming to foster practical and inclusive collaboration and the development of smart and innovative solutions and nature-based solutions to address common challenges faced by archipelagic and island countries. The meeting also discussed actions to support sustainable economic growth within the framework of the AIS Forum, that are based on collaboration, solidarity, opportunity, inclusivity, and interdependence as a method for dealing with crisis situations. The Final Outcome Document was also adopted at the meeting.
In his statement, Foreign Secretary Ghafoor noted that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed detrimental socio-economic impacts while at the same time presenting an opportunity to reflect on our actions and rethink our plans for the future. Highlighting that the ocean is the most treasured asset for Archipelagic Island States, he mentioned that it contains vast resources that helps countries to strengthen economies and tackle unemployment, food security and poverty.
Foreign Secretary Ghafoor also noted that the symbiotic relationship we share with our ocean is under threat and if we are to yield the potential economic gains of the ocean, we have to safeguard it from the irreversible damages caused by pollution, climate change and over-exploitation of marine resources. He said that these stressors can be effectively addressed by forming a deeper understanding of the ocean and finding clarity in science. He also stated that the Maldives’ sustainable fishing methods helps us to propel towards a Blue economy and that these same methods will ensure future generations enjoy the benefits of the ocean as well.
Furthermore, he noted that earlier this year the Maldives launched a ground-breaking scientific expedition in collaboration with the Blue Prosperity Coalition to explore its diverse marine habitats. He explained that this adds to the efforts undertaken by the Government to preserve ocean health and to manage Maldives’ marine resources more sustainably. He also stated that the Maldives seeks to phase out single use plastics by the year 2023, as part of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s climate smart resilient islands initiative aimed to minimise the human footprint on the natural environment.
In conclusion, Foreign Secretary Ghafoor re-iterated the commitment of the Maldives towards the highly valued initiatives carried out by the AIS Forum and called on states to ensure that the ongoing pandemic does not undermine the progress achieved in ocean sustainability. He called to secure transformative investments that will help fill the funding gap to achieve SDG14 and foster international partnerships that will enable the continuity of sustainable ocean projects.
The Archipelagic and Island States Forum is a platform designed to include 47 archipelagic and island states around the world regardless of their region, size and development level to take part in a collective forum addressing global environmental issues.
ENDS