"Maintaining friendly ties with countries crucial to preserving Maldives independence"

Sustenance of foreign relations and friendly ties with the global community is vital to maintain the independence of Maldives, says President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

In a televised address to the public in commemoration of the Maldives Independence Day 2021, the president noted that it is of utmost importance to strengthen the bonds and multilateral ties Maldives has with foreign partners and the global community, in order to maintain the country’s independence.

Maldives celebrates its 56th anniversary of independence on Monday.

He noted that every country celebrates independence day at the “highest” level as “absolute” independence is necessary to ensure basic rights on civil and diplomatic fronts.

Highlighting that the reason behind Maldives’ success in securing the presidency of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is the government’s policy of enhancing connections while respecting the sovereignty and “selective” boundaries of independence of other nations.

Extending well wishes and greetings of the auspicious occasion to his people, the president stated that every success of the country in pursuit of independence is linked to the people’s faith in Islam and bonds of unity among the citizens.

In spite of the actions of radical groups promoting extremist views among the Maldivian communities, President Solih noted that the radical views challenge the Islamic belief.

The president went on to urge the citizens to unite and stand up against the radical groups promoting extremism.

Stressing that spreading Islamophobic hate speech is a traitorous act that paves division among the community, Solih noted that the government will not tolerate these acts.

Such issues will not be resolved by pursuing legal action, much rather by following the “true teachings” of Islam, said the president.

Further noting that the government prioritizes focusing the identification and incorporation of Islamic values into the education sector, the president said that this will assist parents and guardians to help their children adapt to the true teachings of Islam on compassion, early on.

Going on to highlight the successful efforts of his administration in curbing the spread of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, Solih updated the public on efforts to initiate a large-scale vaccination programme in the week ahead.

The president promised that the government will continue to invest in developmental projects linked to the basic needs of the people.