Shahid's win in UNGA election “a proud accomplishment" for Maldives: president

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid securing the post of President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was “a proud accomplishment for Maldives”.

The president made the comment during a meeting between the two on Tuesday, where he congratulated the foreign minister on his landslide victory in the June 7 election.

At the meeting, the president stressed that this “is a step forward in elevating the country’s stature on the global stage” and expressed hope it will “bring more success to the country.”

He also expressed confidence in Shahid and his future undertakings as the UNGA president, and commended the foreign minister on his work “in astutely carrying out the Maldives' Foreign Policy.”

Foreign Minister Shahid, who has credited his win to Solih’s new foreign policy as well as the international community’s trust in the Maldives, thanked the president for nominating him as the country’s candidate for the election.

He highlighted the president’s efforts to “revive and improve” the Maldives’ relations with the international community, describing it as “one of the most significant wins in diplomacy” since the country attained independence in 1965.

Shahid added that this would bring “abundant opportunities” for the Maldives and assured the president that he would work towards achieving new development heights.

In a tweet posted after the meeting, the foreign minister said that he is committed to deliver the ‘presidency of hope,' with the president’s support.

Shahid won the PGA elections on June 7 after competing against Afghanistan’s Zalmai Rassoul, with 143 votes in favour and 48 against.

While the new PGA will take office in September, Shahid had revealed that he will be starting work right away. As such, he appointed two members to his team days after being elected; Thilmeeza Hussain as the Special Envoy of the PGA and K Nagaraj Naidu as his Chef de Cabinet.

The foreign minister, during his victory speech on June 7, said that he will be reigning in a presidency of hope.

Noting that Maldives is “a small nation with few diplomats and fewer resources”, the foreign minister during his victory speech said that despite that Maldivians’ spirit has “always been strong, belief steadfast”.

He added that working “for a better tomorrow, hoping for a better tomorrow” is the Maldivian way, and that is what he will try to bring during his tenure as PGA, a presidency of hope.

Shahid said that his “ultimate objective is to strengthen multilateralism, enhance cooperation, make the UN deliver, and reign in a presidency of hope”.

With that being said, his first five main priorities are (as per order), recovering from Covid-19, rebuilding sustainably, responding to the needs of the planet, respecting the rights of all and revitalizing the United Nations.

Foreign Minister Shahid is the first UNGA President elected from the Maldives in the UN’s 75 year history and the 55 years since the Maldives became a member.