The Honourable Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka, and Chair of the IORA Council of Ministers
Honourable Ministers,
Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I congratulate you, Mr Chair, and the Government of Sri Lanka for your commendable leadership as Chair of IORA.
I also extend a very warm welcome to Secretary-General Sanjiv Ranjan. We look forward to working very closely with you and your team.
Excellencies,
The Indian Ocean is home to over a third of the world’s population. It enables a major share of global trade. It holds some of our most precious global commons.
Yet it also faces growing threats. From climate change, to terrorism, from piracy to IUU fishing.
The Indian Ocean is also rising in global significance. Geopolitical shifts and economic currents have made this region even more vital.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has placed the highest priority on forging stronger regional ties across the Ocean. IORA is central to that vision.
But let me also be clear. The Maldives will not be drawn into great power rivalries.
We choose principle. We choose balance. And we choose peace.
We wish to be friend to all – build partnerships, enhance mutual benefits, and forge sustainable futures.
Our partnerships in the region will be guided by respect for our sovereignty and independence and addressing the shared needs of our people.
We have one of the biggest stakes in the Indian Ocean. We live at its heart.
Our strategic location makes us a key player in the Indian Ocean.
That is why we are ready to step up. And we are ready to lead.
We will defend the rules-based international order. We will support regional security frameworks. We believe a united approach, grounded in trust and cooperation, is the only way forward.
And this is how we envision our cooperation within IORA.
Excellencies,
The Indian Ocean is home to some of the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. We are on the front lines of the climate crisis. Rising sea levels, warming oceans, and increasingly frequent and severe weather events threaten our ecosystems, our economies, and our very existence.
We need urgent and coordinated efforts to build resilience, protect our natural resources, and support the communities most at risk.
As we approach the Third UN Ocean Conference in France, and COP30 in Brazil, let us work together to address the climate crisis, and protect the health and wealth of our ocean.
Mr Chair, Excellencies,
Without maritime security, our shared goals for economic development, environmental protection and regional integration will remain out of reach.
We remain committed to IORA’s vision of regional cooperation.
Let us work together to build a more peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable Indian Ocean.
I thank you.