The President’s Office says that President Mohamed Waheed deemed the Rio+20 Conference a successful endeavor for the Maldives.
At Rio+20, President Waheed outlined his vision for protecting the unique natural environment of the Maldives by establishing the entire 1,192 island chain of the Maldives as a marine reserve by 2017. Further, the President called upon the international community to work together to create a sustainable global environment and in particular help support the Maldives’ goal of becoming a global leader in sustainability.
At Rio+20, the Maldives held a side event entitled “The Maldives Story”, where the President discussed a series of innovative sustainable tourism policies the country has implemented to protect its main tourist attraction: pristine beaches, corals and diverse marine life, including bans put in place to prevent coral mining and the catching and killing of marine turtles and sharks. President Waheed was joined by the Ministers for the Environment, Foreign Affairs, Economic Development and Tourism at the event and more than 50 international delegates were in attendance.
In addition, the President held discussions with key government officials and influencers, including UN Secretary-General Mr Ban Ki-moon, on a range of issues including sustainable development, renewable energy, and climate change. President Waheed also met with several members of the international press on the Maldives environmental priorities and commitment to practicing sustainable tourism.