The Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohamed Asim has returned to Maldives after concluding a successful visit to New York to attend the High-level segment of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. This year's Maldives delegation to the UNGA was led by Minister Asim.
During the visit, the minister delivered a statement at the General Debate on behalf of the Government of Maldives on the 23rd of September 2017. In his statement, Minister Asim highlighted many aspects of social and economic progress enjoyed by the Maldives, under the stewardship of President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. He also called on the international community to end the grave human rights violations and injustices taking place in Myanmar, Palestine and Syria. The Minister also expressed the readiness of the Maldives to take a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for the term 2019-2020.
During the trip, Minister Asim delivered a statement at the Annual OIC Foreign Minister's meeting and OIC contact group meeting on Rohingya Muslims, held on the margins of the UNGA calling on the Government of Myanmar to respect its human rights obligations under international law. He also participated and delivered statements in the Annual Ministerial Meeting of G77 and informal meeting of SAARC Council of Ministers held on the margins of the UNGA as well as OIC Contact Group Meeting on Rohingya Muslims.
During the visit, Minister Asim chaired a side-event co-hosted by the Maldives and Saudi Arabia on Countering Violent Extremism: Promoting Community Level Prevention. He also participated in a meeting organized by Maldives as AOSIS Chair, EU and UNDP on SIDS responding to Climate impacts and planning for sustainable future.
In addition, the minister participated in the High-level plenary meeting convened by the President of the General Assembly to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons and called on the International Community to ban Nuclear weapons.
Minister Asim also met with a number of bilateral partners of Maldives during his stay in New York and discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation as well as advocated for our UN Security Council candidature.
He also met with the UN Secretary General António Guterres who applauded the leadership of the Maldives on climate action, oceans issues and on the sustainable development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The Secretary General also stated that the Maldives is on the first line of impact and first line of advocacy on Climate Change. On the margins of the of the UNGA, Maldives' delegation hosted side-events on future of Oceans and violence against Children as well as engaged in areas of interest such as Sustainable Development and Climate Change.