President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has expressed the Maldives will always abide by the principles and values enshrined in United Nations (UN) Charter. The president made the remarks in a message sent out on the occasion of the Maldives 55th anniversary as a member state of the UN.
In the message, President Solih said 55 years as a member state of UN is a proud milestone for Maldives. The president noted at the time of independence, many in the international community doubted that an impoverished island state in the Indian Ocean, with a population numbering less than 200,000 people at the time, could stand on its own two feet as a sovereign nation. He underlined however that the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), after debating the merits of admission, passed resolution 212, recommending membership to the General Assembly.
The president expressed gratitude for that decision assuring the Maldives has never taken it for granted. The president underscored in the time since, Maldives has transformed into a middle-income economy, sustained by a world-renowned tourism industry.
Highlighting the Maldives remains one of the most active and visible small island states, acting in concert with international peers to resolve pressing issues including the climate emergency and COVID-19, the president stated the Maldives utilised every opportunity to be represented on some of the UN’s most important platforms including in its Human Rights Council on two occasions.
Concluding his remarks, the president affirmed the commitment of the Maldives towards the principles and values enshrined in UN charter. He noted the values, most importantly, multilateral engagement on the basis of mutual respect among all nations, is what will allow the Maldives to confront and resolve the challenges faced by the country.