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?