Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has told the United Nations Security Council that Maldives cannot wait for climate change to force to abandon the identity and the homes of the people, calling on the international community for urgent actions.
Addressing the Open Debate on the impacts of climate-related disasters on international peace and security, initiated by the Dominican Republic, Minister Shahid stressed the need for urgent actions that are consistent with the commitments already made, to reverse the negative impacts of climate change. Recalling his address to the Security Council twelve years ago, in April 2007 on the same topic, Foreign Minister Shahid emphasised Maldives continue to repeat the same message and debate on the issue, while climate change is destroying economies, livelihoods and entire nations.
Minister Shahid related the potentially catastrophic future for the young generation, to a 5-year old little girl, Aisha, from Maldives. In his address, the foreign minister called on the Security Council and the membership of the United Nations to work together, to find solutions to drastically reverse the current trends in climate change, to ensure that a future exists.