Minister of Defence Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon has called on all countries to exert collective efforts to mitigate and overcome the negative impacts faced due to climate change. He made the statement while addressing the Disaster Risk Reduction Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference.
Speaking at the conference, which was held in Manila, Philippines, Minister Ghassan emphasised the efforts exerted by the Maldivian government to monitor changes in weather patterns and tackle climate change. As such, the minister revealed plans to launch the National Strategic Plan 2024-2030, aiming to minimise the disaster threats.
Furthermore, Minister Ghassan expressed pride in the Maldives, being one of the first member countries to join the United Nation's Early Warning for All Initiative (EW4All) initiative. He stated that the Maldives was also one of the first countries to prepare a national roadmap, which aligns with the objectives of the campaign.
In his address, Minister Ghassan stated that despite previous administrations' investments in enhancing the capabilities of islands and communities, securing funding to prepare for the impacts of climate change remains a significant challenge. Stressing that small island nations, like the Maldives, are particularly vulnerable to immediate and severe threats from climate change. He called on all countries to unite in promoting sustainable development and to provide support in overcoming these challenges.
The government has signed an agreement, aiming to increase the transparency of measures being implemented to combat climate change and enhance the monitoring of the implementation of the measures. It noted that the initiative will play a pivotal role in enhancing the efforts exerted to mitigate the impacts of climate change, while increasing the reporting of measures utilised by the Maldives to combat the effects of climate change, to international communities.