Today, Maldivians epitomize what the UN stands for; equality for all, says President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid.
During a joint press conference held at the President’s Office following the PGA’s courtesy call on President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Wednesday morning, Shahid revealed that his homecoming is doubly special as the country celebrates its success as a nation, as a member of the international community and its success as a country having been accepted and respected in the international community.
I’m truly honored Mr. President, by the very special welcome that you have given me and my delegation this morning. It is always a pleasure to return home to one’s home country, but today, this home coming has been doubly special. Special because we celebrate our success as a nation, we celebrate our success as a member of the international community, our success as a country, that has been accepted, that is respected in the international community.”Abdulla Shahid, UNGA President, Maldives Foreign Minister.
Highlighting that it was just 55 years ago on 26 July 1965 that the Maldives achieved full independence, PGA Shahid noted that it led to the formulation and execution of a free country’s own policy.
The same year in September, Maldives joined the UN, as one of the smallest members of the organization.
However, today, President Solih and the Maldivian people have shown that “size does not determine ability”, nor does it determine destiny.
You (President Solih) and the Maldivians have shown that size does not determine ability, that size does not determine destiny, today we, the Maldivians, epitomize what the UN stands for; equality for all. As the President stated, my presidency is a presidency of hope, I have been asked many many times, why hope? The answer lies, Mr. President, it lies here in the Maldives.”Abdulla Shahid, UNGA President, Maldives Foreign Minister.
Shedding light on his “Presidency of Hope”, Shahid revealed that he was posed the question on “Why hope”, several times. Shahid revealed that it lies in the Maldives.
As such, highlighting that Maldives is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, to environmental disasters, climate change, economic shock, supply chain disruptions and others, Shahid noted that it is easy to be cynical and to give up hope in the face of such vulnerability.
However, Maldivian do not give up, said a proud UNGA President, who asserted that Maldivians “dust ourselves off”, “pick ourselves up” and “try again”.
The Maldives is one of the most vulnerable countries in the world, to environmental disasters, climate change, economic shock, supply chain disruptions and so on. In the face of such vulnerability, it is easy to be cynical, to give up, to give up hope. But we Maldivians we don’t, we dust ourselves off, we pick up ourselves and we try and try again. We keep working for a better tomorrow, hoping for a better tomorrow. This is what I want to bring to the UN, this enduring spirit of hope, this unyielding spirit that never falters in the face of challenges, and we are not short of challenges.”Abdulla Shahid, UNGA President, Maldives Foreign Minister.
During the press, it was revealed that the Maldives President and UNGA President discusses areas of interest including impacts of climate change on Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and discussed on ways to enhance international involvement in such efforts through an inclusive arrangement.
PGA Shahid thanked the Maldivian president for inviting him to the Maldives in his capacity as UNGA President and applauded the Solih administration’s success in the international arena, linked to the firm foreign policy of the administration.
