بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

His Highness Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,

Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad of the Republic of The Gambia, His Excellency Sering Modou Njie,

Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, His Excellency Hissein Brahim Taha,

Your Highnesses, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalamu Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu,

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

The Maldives extends its warm congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed on his election as the Secretary- General of OIC. The election of a highly acclaimed statesman from the Islamic Republic of Mauritania speaks well the confidence placed on the country by the OIC Membership, in its invaluable role played to the cause of the Muslim Ummah.

We have no doubt that under his able leadership, the General Secretariat and the overall work of OIC would be further strengthened. 

The Maldives wishes to pay a special tribute and its sincere gratitude to His Excellency Hissein Brahim Taha for his wise guidance and counsel in the work of the OIC during a critical phase of the Organization.

Excellencies,

For far too long, the subjugation of Palestine has gone unchecked.

For far too long, we have watched on,

As rights are denied, displacement continues and violence escalates.

The continued suffering of the Palestinian people demands more than expressions of concern. Our words must be translated into coordinated and meaningful action. To alleviate their constant suffering. To bring comfort to their enduring pain of displacement.

How many times must we gather here, in outrage and in sorrow, before we see our commitment translated into action?

It is a hopeful naivety that compels us to expect Israel to halt its genocidal acts in Palestine merely in response to condemnation.

An unjust and misplaced hope, one that has cost tens of thousands of Palestinian lives – men, women and innocent children - since the Nakba of 1948.

Despite our repeated calls for action, Israel continues to intensify its violations against the Palestinian people, targeting civilians and critical infrastructure including healthcare facilities, and restricting humanitarian efforts.

Your Highness, Excellencies and Distinguished Delegates,

Israel has now accelerated its settlement expansion and annexation of Palestinian land, deepening the occupation, driving further displacement and seeking to erase the very identity of the Palestinian people — in gross violation of international law.

The inaction of those who have vowed to protect humanity from such crimes is evidence of a collective moral failure.

Inaction is equivalent to complicity, and silence allows these atrocities to continue. This is why we cannot remain idle.

The Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict offers a critical pathway to peace, and the Maldives calls for its full and immediate implementation.

The Maldives strongly condemns the Israeli rejection of the Road Map for completing the implementation of the Comprehensive Plan, as endorsed by United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803.

We must ensure that commitments made through international efforts are not undermined. We must not allow this to become yet another unfulfilled promise.

Israel must be held accountable, by every means available to us.

The Maldives has stood with Palestine at every step and will continue to advocate for its rights in every forum.

We will not rest until an independent and sovereign State of Palestine is established on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital — a State in which the Palestinian people can live in peace, dignity and security.

As we gather here, we must reflect on the purpose that first brought us together, a shared commitment to safeguard our Ummah, and to help one another when we most need it.

The Maldives supports a stronger and more effective OIC that can advance real action for the Palestinian people.

We must aim for practical, results-oriented outcomes that are not only heard by the people of Palestine but also felt on the ground.

Excellencies,

For Palestine, the time for political rhetoric alone has passed.

Today I bring to this gathering, the commitment of my Government; the sentiments of every Maldivian; to raise our resolve to realise the inalienable rights of the Palestinian people.

Let us not leave Palestine with promises, let us leave with progress.

This will not be easy. But it is our collective responsibility; our moral responsibility to honour human rights; territorial integrity and sovereignty of the State of Palestine.

For it is Palestine today, but it may be any one of our own nations tomorrow.

I thank you.

 

Bismillah-ah-Rahman-ah-Raheem 

His Excellency Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl  Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development of Palau, 

Mr. Hao Zhang, United Nations Resident Coordinator,  

Distinguished Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives,  

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, 

A very good afternoon to all! 

Today, and yesterday, we have spent many hours – in this hall, and many others – discussing issues of utmost importance for small island developing States. 

We have discussed how we can mobilize private-sector as a driver of action in the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS. 

We have looked at what needs to be done to create a space that enables finance to not just be available, but easily accessible, adequate and affordable. 

We examined the role of artificial intelligence and digitalization in creating a SIDS economy that’s ready for a digital future. 

We have also explored how tourism can become more resilient, in the face of growing risks, and how it can lead to stronger economies, and sustainable development that leaves no one behind. 

These two days, we have also seen successes of this Forum since 2014. We’ve seen the opportunities for investment, for commerce, for development, in SIDS. 

The task at hand now is to take these discussions and turn them into tangible action. 

Use the networks we have built, the lessons we have learned, the expertise we have exchanged to make sure that we are able to provide a resilient prosperity for SIDS. 

This Forum was the product of the hard work of many hands and many minds. And I wish to take a moment to thank them.  

I thank our co-organizers the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, and the SIDS Centre of Excellence, as well as the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States  for their excellent collaboration and cooperation to make this Forum and the launch of the Island Investment Forum a success. 

I also wish to thank the Ministry of Economic Development, Transport, and Trade for their partnership with our team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  

I wish to also thank the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprises, the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture, and Ocean Resources, and the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation for their support to make this Forum, including tomorrow’s site visits a success! 

I also wish to acknowledge with sincere appreciation the support we have received from the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (Mifco), State Electric Company (STELCO), Housing Development Corporation, and the Public Service Media (PSM) for ensuring this Forum has been an enjoyable and successful Forum! 

I also recognize the excellent work by the event management team, ChopArt, and the support by Barceló Nasandhura Malé Hotel, to bring this Forum from the drawing boards to reality. 

Maldives will remain open to all SIDS who are interested in learning more from our development journey. From our resilience building efforts. From our conservation stories. 

The Maldives also remains open. For investment. For commerce. For enterprise. 

When you go back to your homes, your islands, we hope that you recall your time here in the Maldives fondly. Our blue skies. Our turquoise waters. Our warm welcomes. 

But most importantly, we hope you recall our biggest takeaway – development is destiny. But destiny is not mere fate. It is the consequence of the many choices we make; the many decisions we take; and the many hours we work.  

I thank you.

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ 

His Excellency Dr Mohamed Muizzu, President of the Republic of Maldives, 

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Economic Development of Tuvalu, Honourable Panapasi Nelesone  

Minister of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism & Development of Palau, Honourable Ngiraibelas Tmetuchl, 

Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade His Excellency Mohamed Saeed,  

Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises His Excellency Hassan Zareer 

Cabinet Ministers and Senior Officials, 

Ambassadors and Permanent Representatives,  

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, a very good afternoon and “Maruhabaa” to the “sunny side of life”! 

“SIDS can, and SIDS must lead! 

We can shape and steer our future. 

SIDS must stand as beacons of resilience and innovation.  

Setting examples for the world to follow.” 

Two years ago, in the “land of 365 beaches” – Antigua and Barbuda – President Dr Mohamed Muizzu, declared these words.  

Words that began the journey that brings us all here today.  

We are proud and happy to welcome you to the Maldives.  

For a conference that will showcase our resilience and innovation.  

That will build partnerships and friendships.  

Prosperity and progress.  

It was 37 years ago, on a sunny day like this, that representatives from small island developing States and their friends, from across the world, gathered in the Maldives, to discuss the impacts of sea level rise on small States.  

On 18 November 1989, they adopted the Malé Declaration on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise.  

That document became the catalyst for the creation of the Alliance of Small Island Developing States (AOSIS). 

That conference became the first gathering of its kind.  

The first time any State, small or large, had so publicly declared the destructive impact of global warming and sea level rise, as a threat to humanity.  

Since then, small island developing States have become a driving force in global efforts to address climate change.  

To ensure sustainable development, that leaves no one behind.  

To mobilize affordable, adequate and accessible finance. 

The Maldives is proud to have been a part of this story, alongside our fellow SIDS;  

Together, we served in the trenches.  

And dare I say, come out stronger.  

We confronted the impossible challenges, with unparalleled determination.  

We faced adversity, with hope.  

The Maldives has been building on its legacy as an innovator - At home and abroad.  

Under President Muizzu’s Maldives First foreign policy, we are determined to deepen our engagement on multilateral forums.  

Have a seat at every table but also ensure we are heard.  

Lead, especially on issues of critical importance for Maldives and others like us.  

We are looking towards digitizing our economy, and artificial intelligence as the next phase of our development journey.  

We are looking at generating our electricity through greener, more sustainable ways. And in turn, building more resilient and durable cities and islands.  

We are looking at investing in a more creative people, building a more skilled, healthier, and educated workforce for the challenges of tomorrow. 

We are investing in our digital infrastructure. 

These plans, the lessons and challenges that shaped them, is what we hope to share with you here over these two days. 

In 2014, the SIDS Global Business Network was launched to build connections, bridge divides, and boost investment. 

A decade later, those connections span oceans and continents.  

This network has been a vessel to find solutions for the very unique challenges the private sectors in our countries face.

It has also been a mechanism for investors to find partners in SIDS, generating projects and investments that continue to benefit our peoples.

Today, we go a step further. 

Today, we will launch the Island Investment Forum – a key outcome from the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAS). 

A vehicle that will find practical solutions, fund genuine partnerships, and direct much-needed finance, know-how, and investment into SIDS. 

Sustainable development requires stronger partnerships with the private sector, investors and innovators.

Today, we bring together governments, business communities, private sector, academia and civil society. 

It is the start of a renewed effort to invest in SIDS – especially in today’s very challenging global environment.  

Our message – SIDS are not liabilities. We are good investments.   

Our populations are young. They are educated and driven.  

Our economies, small, yet robust and ready for innovation. 

Here in the Maldives, we have many experiences to share. Many lessons we have learnt, and are ready to share. 

Our pioneers have built the “World’s Leading Tourism Destination” from nothing. 

Our fishing community have built the “most sustainable tuna fishery” from our traditions. 

Today, we look ahead.  

With the support of many partners within the Government, the State Owned Enterprises, and the private sector, we have put together a programme that will combine discussions on challenges, best practices, and practical solutions.  

We hope our efforts will result in a productive, and useful stay here in the Maldives.  

The Maldives is preparing for an ambitious future. A developed country by 2040.  

But we know we cannot do it alone.  

We believe in partnerships. Efforts that “raise all boats”.  

Because this winding path of development, is fraught with ups and downs, surprises and hardships.  

It is a path, best travelled, with friends by your side – supporting you through the pain, and celebrating with you through the wins.  

I wish to express our sincere appreciation to his Excellency the President for granting us with his presence at this event today. 

Before I conclude, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS), as well as the United Nations Resident Coordinators’ Offices, for their continued support and valuable contributions. 

I also wish to extend my sincere appreciation to the Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade His Excellency Mohamed Saeed, and his dedicated team, especially Invest Maldives, for partnering with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in delivering this Forum. 

I also wish to extend my thanks to the Ministry of Finance and Public Enterprise His Excellency Hassan Zareer especially the Planning Department for the support extended in organising the field visits.  

Once again, welcome to the Maldives. Where the sun, seas and sand are 24/7, (except ofcourse when it rains).  

We hope you enjoy our vivid blues, our bright turquoises, and exceptional whites.  

But most importantly, we hope that this opportunity provides the space to build strong networks, learn new solutions and foster new partnerships that will bring resilient prosperity for our countries, our peoples; for generations to come. 

I thank you.