President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih returned to Maldives on Monday morning, after attending the 74th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

While the president attended and spoke at a number of summits and meetings during the trip, including the Climate Action Summit and the Christchurch Call, he also addressed the general assembly; this was not only Solih’s first visit to the UNGA, but it was also the first time a Maldivian head of state was there in over seven years.

His presence at UNGA marks the end of the archipelago nation’s brief period of self-imposed isolation, with the President’s Office noting that this is a “symbolic gesture” of the government’s commitment “to an open and engaged foreign policy abroad.”

During his maiden address at the general assembly, President Solih spoke on a number of issues; climate change, terrorism, return to democracy and the key challenges faced by his administration since taking office last November.

He also made announcements including the nation’s ambitious plan to phase out single-use plastics by the year 2023 and the ‘Climate Smart Resilient Island’ initiative, and brought the country to the forefront of the discussion.

The president revealed details of the ‘Climate Smart Resilient Island’ initiative at the Climate Action Summit, which focuses on achieving environment-related targets in eleven key areas, including the designation of environmentally protected areas; installation of new technology; establishing inter-island connectivity; safeguarding food and water security; promoting green tourism; ensuring climate-resilient infrastructure; transitioning to renewable energy; and sustainable waste management, among others.

Maldives also partnered with Parley for the Oceans in the fight against the proliferation of plastic pollution in the oceans, with Solih highlighting that the country’s traditions, way of life and the Dhivehi language have been "heavily influenced by the sea.”

He also stressed that protecting “this special resource is linked to the very survival of the Maldives.”

The president also held several meetings on the sidelines of the general assembly, including with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Secretary General of the United Nations Antonio Gutteres.