Participating in the Forum of Small States (FOSS), the Maldives Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has reiterated on the importance of strengthened multilateral cooperation.

Highlighting that the Maldives believes in multilateralism as a conduit for greater collaboration, the foreign minister noted that the Maldives shares the resolve to strengthen the multilateral system.

This was done during the virtual high-level forum to pre-launch the report of The Elders on Multilateralism on Wednesday.

The event also commemorates the 75th Anniversary of the signing of the UN Charter, entitled “The UN Charter at 75: Multilateralism in a Fragmented World”.

The forum was organized by the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Singapore to the United Nations in collaboration with The Elders and the Office of the Special Advisor to the Secretary-General, in its capacity as convener of FOSS.

The Maldives minister reiterated how countries, big or small, have benefitted from multilateralism and a rules-based international order and stated that Maldives has always believed that effective multilateralism will lead to strengthened cooperation to resolve global issues, as a Small Island Developing State (SID).

FM Shahid went on to call on UN member states to boost efforts to achieve the universally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the “Decade for Action” begins.

Highlighting that the global Covid-19 pandemic has tested multilateral institutions and their response ability, the minister emphasized on the importance of strong, collective action in the recovery phase.

He asserted that the post-recovery efforts for the pandemic calls for more multilateral cooperation, alongside further strengthening of multilateral institutions to respond to “contemporary global challenges”.

During the high-level forum, Chair of The Elders, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mary Robinson pre-launched the new report and recommendations by The Elders on “Strengthening Multilateralism, the Rule of law and the Role of the UN”

Statements were also delivered by several foreign ministers, Secretary-General of the United Nations, and the President of the UN General Assembly.

FOSS is an informal group of small states established in New York, America by Singapore comprising a non-ideological and non-geographic membership.

According to the foreign ministry, Maldives has benefitted from being a member of FOSS as it provides a platform to discuss issues of concern for small states.