Minister of Defence Mariya Ahmed Didi has stated the administration remains steadfast in maintaining the independence of the Maldives and its sovereignty in the region. She made the remarks in her speech at the ceremony held to commemorate the 130th anniversary of the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF).
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Mariya said that Maldivians face a unique economic, social, and military situation as the Indian Ocean region and the world have to accommodate to change from a unipolar to a multipolar system due to the increased competition between the established powers affecting smaller nations. She, therefore, said that the Maldives has to develop its national security in a methodical manner, which is a high priority for President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Furthermore, Minister Mariya noted the challenges faced in maintaining national security such as extremism and terrorism, drug trafficking, and climate change. The minister said that actions such as foreign vessels trespassing and illegally fishing within Maldivian waters, and maritime pollution and accidents are also issues of concern. She said that work is being conducted to implement the National Maritime Security Strategy and Defence White Paper and to strengthen the security of the Maldives border by formulating an integrated border management strategy. She highlighted that the Maldives will exercise diplomacy in developing its national security, as ignoring its diplomatic relations with neighbouring countries and choosing isolationism is a flawed strategy.
Additionally, Minister Mariya said that providing the necessary equipment, resources, and resources to strengthen the military force is a key pledge of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, adding that peace and independence can only be guaranteed by maintaining the security of the maritime border. She noted that citizens had a negative opinion of the MNDF in 2018, deeming the military service a threat to democracy. She detailed that military officers were used to occupying the Parliament of the Maldives, arrest judges and politicians, stop elections, and oppress citizens. She, however, said that President Solih has eliminated political influence from MNDF since assuming power.