Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid has co-signed a joint position requesting the Secretary-General of the United Nations to provide regular reporting on climate related security risks to member states and recommended actions to take.
The foreign minister signed the joint position following a ministerial-level meeting on climate and security organised by the Group of Friends on Climate and Security on the side-lines of the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
During the meeting, Foreign Minister Shahid delivered a statement highlighting the correlation between climate change and security. The minister stressed that the Maldives, having a higher exposure to the effects of climate change, would suffer from a loss of jobs, territory and livelihoods. He further commended the work of the Group of Friends in raising the issue within the United Nations and, as a result, gaining wider acknowledgement from the international community that climate change does pose a serious threat to global peace and security.
The minister also highlighted the efforts undertaken by the Government of Maldives to ensure the commitments under the Paris Agreement remains on track, while making sure the country commits to achieve its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) as early as possible. He reiterated President Solih's announcement that the Maldives is committed to phasing out single-use plastics by 2023 to help preserve the health of the ocean.
The Group of Friends on Climate and Security was formed on 1 August 2018 with the intention to cooperate and develop solutions for the impact of climate change on security policy, raise public awareness and boos the involvement of the United Nations in this area. It is made up of 27 member states from all regional groups.