President of the People’s Republic of China, Your Excellency Xi Jinping,
Distinguished Leaders,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honour for the Maldives to participate in this important Summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. I wish to congratulate you, President Xi, the Government and people of China for your successful presidency of the SCO. I commend your leadership and vision in enhancing dialogue with partners like us. We appreciate you for hosting us with warmth and generosity.
I also wish President Japarov and the Government of Kyrgyzstan the very best for their incoming Presidency of the SCO.
We meet at a time of converging global crises. Climate change, economic fragmentation, and geopolitical tensions and violence are testing the resilience of all nations.
We Maldivians are no strangers to navigating often rough seas.
In fact, our ancestors travelled the seas to China, in our wooden dhonis, as early as 658 A.D., bearing gifts of tribute – a great journey for that time.
We are a resilient island nation.
Innovative by necessity.
Ambitious by design.
And friendly in nature.
And our ambition, our desire for friendship, led us to the SCO.
Let me share three key priorities where we see scope for strengthened cooperation through SCO.
First, we firmly agree that climate action and sustainable development must be the SCO’s defining legacy.
This year, we submitted our third Nationally Determined Contributions, under the Paris Agreement. We were among the earliest countries to do so.
Our targets are bold: a reduction of 1.52 million tonnes of Carbon dioxide equivalent by 2035 and generate 33% of our electricity from renewables by 2028.
These are ambitious goals. But ambition alone is not enough.
Like other SIDS, we need accessible financing, technology transfer, and capacity building to meet our commitments.
These are areas where we believe the SCO can step up – not just with finance, but with meaningful partnerships rooted in win-win cooperation, mutual benefit and sustainability.
We welcome the SCO’s designation of 2025 as the “Year of Sustainable Development”.
But let us also make it a “Year of Implementation”. A year to launch joint projects, scale up digital transformation and support those who need it the most.
Ahead of COP30 in Brazil, let us commit to ambition.
To keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius.
And to adapt and build resilience to a changing climate.
Second, we believe that the SCO must become a dynamic engine of trade, investment, and digital connectivity.
As a Dialogue Partner, the Maldives sees enormous potential in strengthening trade ties across the SCO. Given our vast economic footprint, we can certainly expand intra-SCO trade.
We see opportunities in regional value chains, green technology, digital commerce, and smart logistics. These are areas where the Maldives is actively investing or looking to invest.
Through our Maldives 2.0 initiative, we are transforming governance, to become a digital-first nation.
We are modernising our digital and financial infrastructure, unlocking new opportunities for e-commerce, start-ups, and digital services trade.
We also seek enhanced air and maritime connectivity within the SCO.
We believe that enhanced connectivity is the foundation for shared prosperity, resilience, and inclusive growth.
Third, we also believe that SCO can and must lead a new era of multilateralism rooted in mutual respect, equity, and shared progress.
The Shanghai Spirit, grounded in mutual benefit, equality, and cultural diversity, mirrors our own outlook on the world.
We believe every country, regardless of size or geography, must have a voice in shaping global decisions.
The Global Governance Initiative (CGI), proposed by President Xi Jinping, comes at a vital time. I commend China’s commitment to reforming global governance, tackling global challenges, and supporting developing countries. Rooted in the U.N. Charter, the initiative underscores the need for a system based on international law. The Maldives strongly supports this initiative. In an increasingly interconnected world, stronger cooperation is key to building a more just, peaceful, and inclusive global order.
Excellencies,
In this regard, the Maldives remains deeply concerned by the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian people. We reiterate our unwavering support for their legitimate right to self-determination and the establishment of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine, based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. We call upon the international community including the SCO, to stand united in advocating for justice, dignity and peace for the people of Palestine.
Excellencies,
This year, the Maldives celebrates 60 years since regaining independence, and 60 years of UN membership. We remain as committed today to the principles of peace, dialogue, and diplomacy as we were in 1965.
We are actively building a future that is green, resilient, inclusive, and open to the world.
We are also strengthening our global partnerships. From tourism and hospitality to island innovation and coastal protection, the Maldives has knowledge to share. We bring unique perspectives to the table.
The SCO can be an inclusive platform to facilitate this cooperation.
Let us commit to people-centred development by investing in education, culture, and youth collaboration. Trust begins with people-to-people connections. And trust, as we all know, is the foundation for lasting peace and sustainable development.
Excellencies,
Last year, I announced our aspiration to become a developed country by 2040.
A country which ensures quality public services, creates dignified jobs, and secures a future that is environmentally sustainable, and digitally enabled.
The SCO remains key to this aspiration. We seek partnerships with you that are pragmatic, principled, and future-oriented.
Together, we can shape a better, more resilient future.
I thank you.