Maldives, 2006

The United Nations

today is at a crossroads. It needs to become part of the

twenty-first century, and it must do so with great

urgency. It needs to gear itself to become an institution

capable of taking on the serious challenges that

confront the international community.

As we address these tasks, your election, Madam

President, to preside over the sixty-first session of the

General Assembly is a tribute to your wisdom and

skill. It is also a compliment to your great country. I

take this opportunity to congratulate you. At the same

time, it gives me pleasure to express appreciation to

Mr. Jan Eliasson, who presided so ably over the

sixtieth session. Today, as the United Nations

approaches the end of one era and the beginning of

another, the Maldives expresses its profound

appreciation to the outgoing Secretary-General, Mr.

Kofi Annan. He has led the Organization for a decade,

with great devotion and skill.

Modernization should be a top priority for any

organization that wants to remain relevant in a time of

rapid change. It is particularly important for the United

Nations because of the central role that it must

continue to play in promoting cooperation for

international peace and security, economic and social

development, human rights and the rule of law. The

Maldives believes that reform of the United Nations

must be transparent, balanced, comprehensive and

inclusive.

In addition to modernizing the Security Council,

we must strengthen the General Assembly and the

Economic and Social Council. These reforms must

make the Organization more action-oriented and

democratic. A reformed United Nations must be

responsive to the entire membership, and be faithful to

its founding principles. The Organization must be

adapted to carry out its mandate in full. There can be

no doubt that this can be achieved by gearing the

United Nations to implement all its mandates,

decisions and resolutions without fear or favour.

The question of equitable representation and an

increase in the membership of the Security Council is a

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crucial part of the reform process. The Maldives

believes the membership of the Council must reflect

the realities of the present day. In this regard, the

Maldives reiterates its support for the proposal of the

group of four on Security Council reform.

For the Maldives the next few years will be a

crucial period in our national development. As a result

of national efforts made with the support of the

international community, the Maldives is today set to

say goodbye to its least developed country status. The

three-year smooth transition period will begin in

January 2008. Graduation from the least developed

country list will pose numerous challenges to us.

However, we look forward to that event as a

positive development. We have already begun work

with the donor community to identify ways in which

the economic and social progress of the country will

continue without disruption after graduation. In this

regard, I note the successful launching of the Maldives

Partnership Forum as an annual event. The first such

forum was held in June this year. I wish to thank our

donors for their continued commitment to support the

development of the Maldives beyond graduation.

The graduation of the Maldives from least

developed country status to that of a developing

country coincides with an important political phase in

the country’s development. Over the past three years

we have been engaged in a major political

transformation. These reforms are based on the

sustained social and economic progress that has

qualified the Maldives for graduation. The political

reform programme that we began in 2003 covers

institutionalizing political pluralism and strengthening

human rights protection, media freedom and judicial

reform.

The achievements of the programme to date

include the formation of four political parties last year,

strengthening the fundamental rights of the people and

enhancing the rule of law. Also a constitutional

assembly is in session to modernize the constitution.

Other projects are being implemented to overhaul the

criminal justice system, set up a modern police service,

strengthen media freedom and develop civil society.

We are also determined to meet the standards

prescribed in international human rights treaties. Over

the past two years we have acceded to the Convention

against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading

Treatment or Punishment and its Optional Protocol. We

have also acceded to the Optional Protocol to the

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of

Discrimination against Women. Just yesterday I

deposited with the Secretary-General our instruments

of accession to the International Covenant on Civil and

Political Rights and its Optional Protocol and to the

International Covenant on Economic, Social and

Cultural Rights.

The Maldives was the country worst affected by

the 2004 tsunami. Twenty-one months into the

recovery programme, much has been achieved, but

much remains to be done. I take this opportunity to

thank the donor community and friendly countries for

the support and assistance extended to our recovery

programme. The biggest obstacle to the programme is

the substantial funding shortfall in key aspects of

recovery, in particular in the areas of repair and

reconstruction of housing, transportation, water and

sanitation, and environmental mitigation. The funding

gap is estimated at $100 million. In addition, as a result

of the impact of the tsunami and of high petroleum

prices on public finances, there is a budget deficit of

$100 million. At this critical juncture of our national

progress I call upon our development partners, and the

international community as a whole, to continue to

assist the Maldives.

It is a matter of satisfaction to us that, despite the

devastation caused by the tsunami and the short-term

fiscal pressures, the Maldives has been able to meet

some international development targets. In reducing

poverty and in providing primary education the

Maldives has already met the Millennium Development

Goals. We are confident that we can attain the targets

for health care and gender empowerment.

Instability in any part of the world has

implications for the entire international community.

One of the most intractable disputes of our time is the

conflict in the Middle East, particularly the non-

realization of the inalienable rights of the Palestinian

people. The recent hostilities in Lebanon and the

sufferings of the Lebanese people have their roots in

the Palestinian problem. The Palestinian issue must be

resolved, in accordance with international law and the

relevant resolutions of the Security Council.

The continued instability and violence in

Afghanistan and Iraq is a matter of great concern to the

Maldives. Years of instability and conflict have

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ravaged the lives and society of the peoples of these

countries.

The Maldives fully subscribes to the efforts made

by the international community to combat terrorism.

We are party to the major international conventions

that have been formulated to defeat terrorism.

Terrorism is an assault on the values of freedom and

human solidarity. However, our efforts to combat the

menace should avoid undermining the very values that

we seek to protect. There is a resurgence of the

vilification of Islam and Muslims. As the Maldives has

been a 100 per cent Muslim nation for more than 850

years, we are dismayed by this trend. Islam has

provided the basis for peace and social harmony in the

Maldives. Islam preaches moderation, not extremism.

Violence and killing are abhorrent to Islam. The Holy

Koran states, “Take not life, which Allah hath made

sacred, except by way of justice and law.” (The Holy

Koran, VI:151)

Needless to say, we are deeply pained and

outraged by the negative imaging of Islam and the

effort to associate fanaticism and violence with our

peace-loving faith. The Holy Koran says, “Allah

commands justice, the doing of good, and liberality to

kith and kin, and He forbids all shameful deeds, and

injustice and rebellion.” (ibid. XVI:90)

Only love can conquer hatred. Knowledge alone

can overcome prejudice. Tolerance can defeat fear.

Stable peace requires inclusion. Effective and

meaningful dialogue among civilizations and mutual

respect among diverse peoples are necessary to address

the challenges that we face today. Tolerance and

respect for diversity are given a high value in Islam.

Civilization is under serious threat from the

continued degradation of the environment and its

resultant effects of global warming, climate change and

sea-level rise. Small island States such as the Maldives

and other low-lying regions of the world are in the

front line of danger from rising seas. The extreme

weather events of the past few years have been more

frequent and destructive than ever before. They clearly

demonstrate that the entire world is vulnerable to the

devastation caused by climate change. The Kyoto

Protocol has been a great disappointment. We call upon

all countries to accelerate the adoption of urgent and

realistic measures to stop climate change and sea-level

rise.

If we are to address the vast array of challenges

that humanity faces today we must effectively

implement crucial blueprints and action programmes

agreed through the multilateral process. We must

breathe new life into Agenda 21. We must also adhere

to the Monterrey Consensus. The Millennium

Declaration must be followed up diligently. And, as

Secretary-General Kofi Annan said earlier this month,

the United Nations must move from a culture of

reaction to one of prevention.

Today I am speaking in my vernacular language,

Dhivehi. It represents the legacy of several

millenniums of continuous settlement and the culture

that it has produced in the Maldives. Is not the

protection of such legacies the touchstone of success of

this global family of nations? If the United Nations can

make small and vulnerable countries feel safe, then

who will be facing any danger at all?