بســم اللّـه الرّحمـن الرّحيــم

 

Honourable Members of Parliament,

Excellencies,

Distinguished Guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Assalamu Alaikum and a very good morning.

It is a pleasure to join you at this esteemed gathering of the UK–Maldives All-Party Parliamentary Group.

Thank you for the warm welcome and your ongoing commitment to our partnership, which is built on shared values, mutual respect, and lasting cooperation.

We are grateful for the British government’s continued support and development assistance to the Maldives.
Our friendship has been enriched by people-to-people connections through education, tourism, trade, and culture. These ties have been further strengthened over the past six decades by the exchange of high-level visits between our countries.

Our shared history provides a strong foundation, but it is our active collaboration that defines this partnership. The UK remains a key development partner, especially in areas vital to our people.

As such, we value the UK’s ongoing support in strengthening our justice sector, consolidating democratic institutions, advancing climate adaptation, enhancing defence cooperation, and investing in capacity building.

Honourable Speaker, our partnership goes beyond bilateral ties to strong multilateral cooperation. The Maldives and the UK often align on key global issues like climate action, ocean conservation, and sustainable development, amplifying the voice of Small Island Developing States.
Climate change represents the greatest existential threat to the Maldives. With an average elevation of our islands just 1.5 meters above sea level, our vulnerability is real, immediate, and deeply personal.

We refuse to be defined by the climate crisis and have taken bold action. The Maldives aims to source 33% of its energy from renewables by 2028 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2030, as reaffirmed in our latest Nationally Determined Contribution submitted to the UNFCCC.

In this regard, British expertise in renewable energy will be invaluable to help us harness the Maldives’ vast solar and marine energy potential, advancing our commitment to a sustainable and self-reliant future.

The blue economy lies at the heart of the Maldives’ vision for economic resilience and regional leadership. As a large ocean state, we see the ocean as key to long-term prosperity. Our fisheries industry remains sustainable and strong, guided by science and traditional pole-and-line fishing.

The tourism sector, which welcomes visitors from across the globe, including hundreds of thousands of British nationals annually, shows that economic growth can align with environmental protection.

The educational and cultural exchanges have forged bonds that transcend government relations. Maldivian students in the UK gain skills that drive progress at home, while British researchers in our marine laboratories
advance global understanding of coral reef ecosystems and climate change.

The United Kingdom’s technical, financial, and diplomatic support helps us pursue ambitious goals that benefit our people and contribute globally. And, in return, the Maldives offers a committed partner in the Indian Ocean on
maritime security, climate activism, and trade promotion. And I look forward to tomorrow’s business forum in London, where we aim to deepen cooperation in tourism, renewable energy, sustainable fisheries, and trade to strengthen our partnership.

Looking ahead, our collaboration has great potential, especially in the blue economy. Areas like sustainable aquaculture, ocean-based renewable energy, and marine biotechnology offer economic promise while advancing our shared goals of sustainability, innovation, and resilience.

Our shared Commonwealth values based on democracy, human rights, and good governance, form a strong foundation for tackling global challenges.
Though different in size and distance, we are united by the belief that these values strengthen our nations and ensure global stability.

I am confident that the strong Maldives–UK relationship, supported by this All-Party-Parliamentary-Group, will continue to grow, guiding us toward a more resilient and prosperous future for all.

Thank you.