Thank you, Mr Prabhu.
Allow me to extend my gratitude to the the Government of the Sultanate of Oman and the India Foundation for the warm and gracious hospitality extended to my delegation and I.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Everywhere we look, global mistrust is growing. Divisions are deepening. Conflicts are raging.
The climate of cooperation, which once seemed to unite us, is now clouded with suspicion.
The world is witnessing a rising trend of isolationist rhetoric and increasing uncertainties about the future of multilateralism.
The system where our shared interests converge.
The system where dialogue, compromise, and collaboration come together.
And, the system where peace, inclusivity and sustainability intertwine.
That is the system facing threat.
Now the question is… is multilateralism truly shifting from a point of commonality to contention? And, what does it mean for us – the developing countries?
The truth is…
Nearly eighty years ago, fifty-one countries made the choice for multilateralism.
And, today, we must not fail to make that bold choice again.
Even as imperfect as it is, it carries immense significance, and strategic value.
Especially for developing countries that need each other. More so, for small countries like the Maldives.
If we take a look at why, there is mistrust, and perhaps a certain scepticism in the system, we can identify some trends.
Prime of which, is the participation and the involvement of the developing countries – the so-called Global South – in global decision making.
As a believer in the multilateral system, we recognise the urgent need for reinforcing the United Nations – the epitome of multilateralism.
This is why, President Dr Muizzu called for a reformed, revitalised and representative UN at the General Debate of the 79th session of the UN General Assembly – especially the United Nations Security Council.
The discussion on Security Council reform has gone on, for far too long. We need decisions now.
President Muizzu highlighted three main changes to the Council.
First – he called to make it more representative.
This means – an expanded Council both in permanent and non-permanent categories.
This means a non-permanent rotating seat for Small Island Developing States – a group that makes up 20% of the UN membership and yet have been left out of decision-making rooms for far too long.
This means correcting the historic injustice against Africa.
This means having a Council that is reflective of the current realities of the world – the UN membership.
Second – he called to abolish the veto.
The veto paralyses the council from taking action – something we have seen far too clearly with Gaza in recent months.
And because the veto inhibits actions, it makes the Council ineffective.
And ultimately leads to those looking to the United Nations for solutions, to lose hope.
Third – he called for the Council to consider new and emerging threats – non-traditional threats.
Climate change, water scarcity, pandemics, depletion of natural resources – all of these have shown to cause conflict.
If the Council does not start to consider these threats, it will soon become irrelevant.
The second trend we can identify – is that the need for cooperation is higher than ever.
Connecting Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, the Maldivian waters are home to key maritime routes.
Our strategic location – at the heart of the Indian Ocean - makes us a key player in global maritime trade and commerce.
But it also exposes us to security and development threats, such as the climate crisis, geopolitical tensions, cyberattacks, and crimes at sea, including terrorism, piracy and IUU fishing.
An independent and strong Maldives and a unified approach are key to maintaining the order in the Indian Ocean.
This is why the Maldives is working closely with its neighbours at a bilateral and regional level.
While a regional solution is essential, it alone is not sufficient. Global challenges like these demand global solutions. It needs to be viewed in a broader sense.
These challenges are not limited to us, but common to our neighbours and beyond.
For example, the Maldives emits contributes a miniscule amount of emissions compared to the global levels. Yet, we are on the frontline of the climate emergency.
So today’s challenges – we cannot go about it in isolation.
When we reduce emissions in our own countries, that impacts all of us.
When we stop deadly communicable diseases from spreading in our own countries, it impacts all of us.
When we have instability in one part of the world, it impacts global supply chains.
It drives to how connected we are. How global cooperation is necessary.
This is where the developing countries can play a greater role.
South-South cooperation has been a cornerstone of development support for many years. But today, this is more necessary than ever.
We need to help each other. Support each other. Share our experiences with each other.
This also circles back to the need for enhancing developing countries’ leadership and engagement in the discussions and decision-making processes pertaining the issues.
No one knows the developing countries’ situation better than the developing countries. We jointly represent the vast majority of the world’s population. That makes our voice as powerful as any other.
It is no doubt that the developing countries exhibit strong leadership and resilience, which they have demonstrated through its ability to adapt and foster solutions important to navigate uncertain situations.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
The threats facing us does not end at our shores. And, often are not of our making.
The international financial system, for example, is structurally too weak to offer its support to the countries that need it the most. With the rising debt burden declining the funding for sustainable development, the most in need of support are being tested time after time.
The Pact of the Future adopted at the 2024 Summit of the Future revived our hope for a renewed system that better captures the new realities of the developing countries.
We are determined to work together to implement this outcome document.
Partnerships that understand the reality and push us to work together towards a common goal is a must when sailing against the winds.
We are committed to work together to realise our shared vision for a more peaceful, prosperous and sustainable Indian Ocean.