Stressing that the what the globe has already known is laid bare in the simplest of terms, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has urged the global community to work together in solidarity and unity to achieve ambitions together as one.
In his General Debate Statement at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Tuesday, President Solih remarked that consequences of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic have remained the same from small island nations to the powers spanning continents.
It has laid bare, in the simplest of terms, what we have all already known. Namely, that in today’s world, we are bound together. We must work together, in solidarity, in unity, to achieve our ambitions together.”Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Maldives.
Highlighting that Maldives made haste to become a member of the United Nations 56 years ago, after gaining independence, President Solih stressed that Maldives request was not approved as it was the age of decolonization.
President Solih said that it was an age when humanity shook off the shackles of the past for the sake of civilization and progress, noting that the matter of allowing entry to small states was debated in ferocity. The debate in question, revolved around whether a small island would qualify to meaningfully contribute to world affairs.
Today, 56 years since then, as President of the Republic of Maldives, I address the presidency of this General Assembly in our mother tongue. Our mother tongue, Dhivehi, the language we take pride in and is close to our hearts. A language that is most familiar for the Presidency of this General Assembly. The Maldives may be small in size. Maldivians, however, are big in their rich culture and heritage. This is indeed a great honor for our nation”Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Maldives.
Going on to applaud the “Presidency of Hope” of the PGA, Abdulla Shahid, the Maldivian president noted that the title is highly appropriate, owing to the fact that hope is a highly desirable commodity in these difficult times. Hope is also what led to the formation of the United Nations.
It was hope for a world devoid of the ugliness of wars and famine; hope for equality of all peoples to prevail; hope for justice, human rights, self-determination and democracy to reign supreme; hope of a world where people oppressed under the yoke of colonial rule and other forms of oppression were rendered free; hope that we preserve our planet, its resources, ecosystems and wonders for generations yet to be born.”Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, President of the Maldives.
Every year for the past 76 years, leaders across the globe gather in to give speeches that inspire the communities to scale seemingly impossible odds to resolve the various problems that afflict our global community, said the president, who added that coronavirus has pushed progress of the globe back years, despite all achievements and victories.
Further, Solih noted that the adverse impacts of climate change are increasing, along with the world’s population, in turn leading to a spike in the presence of starvation. Stressing that the menace of terrorism remains one of the biggest challenges facing the current times, Solih noted that it is an ever-present blemish on our common humanity.
With this being said, the Maldivian president urged the global community to give resoluteness to the hope, by providing utmost efforts.
