بِسْمِ ٱللّٰهِ ٱلرَّحْمٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

First Lady Fazna Ahmed, Minister of Gender, Family and Social Services, Aishath Mohamed Didi,

President of the Maldives Association of Human Resource Professionals, Mr. Hussain Afeef,

State Ministers, Deputy Ministers,

Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen;

 السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ

 And a very good morning to you all.

It is my great pleasure to be here today to say few words in this gathering  as we begin the second Human Resources Convention and Expo in the Maldives.

While the world is slowly recovering from a pandemic that has challenged every aspect of how we work, innovative discussions on best practices regarding human resources and skills development, are more important now than ever. Conventions such as this, serve just that purpose.

As challenging as it was, we have learned important lessons from the pandemic. We have learned that not every employee needs to be sitting at the desk in order to be productive. We have learned to fully utilize the technology at our finger tips. We have also learned that the employee’s mental health and well-being is as important as their health and physical safety.  

We must take these lessons forward with us as we navigate our return to normalcy. Employers must identify areas in which additional capacity building is required to build resilience for such future shocks. We must also try to prepare a team that is more resistance to this kind of impacts. This convention is a great opportunity to start these discussions.

Ladies and Gentleman,

There is no doubt that the best investment that an organization can make is in its people. This is also  true for our nation. That is why this administration places such an important emphasis on developing our human capital. We have provided numerous grants, scholarships, and loan opportunities for aspiring young professionals to further their education. We have also started lots of advancement and enrichment programs for those who need it today and for tomorrow.

However, we know that quality education alone is not enough in developing human capital. It is equally important that our young work force gets opportunities to build their confidence, hone their leadership and technical skills from the workplace. We must also ensure that they are provided with a safe and conducive work environment.

This is where human resource professionals must step in. You are all in a well-situated position to guide our workforce to help them reach their full potential and ensure not only the success of your organization, but the success of our this beautiful country.

I hope this convention sparks numerous discussions on the challenges faced by the field of human resources, and more importantly leads to dynamic solutions for a well-rounded workforce.

I would like to thank the Maldives Association of Human Resources Professionals for organizing this conference, the many speakers who have flown in from across the globe, and to the participants. I wish you a pleasant and engaging two days.

Thank you very much!