His Excellency Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef has successfully concluded his official visit to Hawaii, United States of America.
The Vice President’s visit was made upon a special invitation from the Blue Planet Alliance and marked significant progress in the Maldives' international climate action partnerships.
During this visit, the Vice President delivered an address at the opening ceremony of the Blue Planet Alliance (BPA) Fellowship Programme. As a special guest, he emphasised the importance of transformative thinking beyond conventional approaches to drive innovative climate solutions for nations on the frontlines of the climate crisis. He further articulated the immense challenges faced by small island developing states like the Maldives, where climate change impacts are not theoretical threats but lived realities reshaping landscapes and communities.
As a milestone development, the Vice President formalised the Maldives' partnership with the Blue Planet Alliance by signing a non-binding agreement expressing the country’s aspiration to maximise renewable energy deployment. The signing ceremony was held during the opening of the Fellowship Programme.
The Vice President had the honour of being the first Maldivian Vice President to visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Inouye Regional Centre. He expressed deep appreciation for their exceptional and invaluable services to global communities, particularly acknowledging their continued assistance to the Maldives. The centre houses the International Tsunami Information Centre (ITIC) and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC), facilities that played crucial roles in supporting the Maldives after the devastating 2004 tsunami by assisting with infrastructure development, capacity building, and awareness on disaster preparedness. Their contributions were instrumental in establishing regional warning centres throughout the Asia-Pacific region.
Speaking at the Honolulu International Forum (HIF), a prestigious platform organised by the Pacific Forum, the Vice President reaffirmed the Maldives' dedication to sustainable ocean stewardship and advocated for reforms in international climate finance to advance efforts under the blue economy, stressing the inextricable link to national survival.
Before concluding his visit, the Vice President engaged in strategic discussions with Ms Gwen Yamamoto-Lau, Executive Director of the Hawaii Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA). The dialogue focused on the shared vulnerabilities of island nations and innovative finance models to enhance private sector access to affordable finance. HGIA provided valuable insights into Hawaii's progressive energy policies and creative financing programmes that have successfully accelerated its renewable energy transition – models that could be adapted by small island developing states (SIDS) such as the Maldives.
The Vice President was accompanied by Ali Shareef, the Maldives' Special Envoy for Climate Change. Additionally, senior Government officials, representatives from utility companies, and civil society organisations from the Maldives are participating as fellows in the fourth cohort of the Blue Planet Alliance Fellowship Programme, taking place from May 19 to 23, 2025 in Honolulu, Hawaii.