Statement by H.E. Mr. Ahmed Sareer, Permanent Representative of Maldives to the United Nations at International Drug Control

Thank you, Madam Chair.

It is good to see you preside over this Committee. You have my well wishes and full support in successfully conducting its work.

Let me begin by acknowledging the reports of the Secretary General on crime prevention and criminal justice, and international drug control. The Maldives commends the work of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Its activities in the South Asian region have included drug law enforcement and technical cooperation with the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The programme's focus on the Maldives is much appreciated.

Madam Chair,

Transnational crime is a critical issue for this General Assembly to address; when crime crosses national boundaries, it can only be stopped through international cooperation and coordination among all states. It must be tackled at the source, destination, and every point in between.
Being incredibly porous, the Maldives is at risk of becoming a transit state for transnational crimes such as human and drug trafficking. Given our geography, as an archipelago of scattered islands at the intersection of several maritime trade routes, we are vulnerable to the pervasive international drug trade. Given our reliance on migrant workers, we also face the risk of becoming a transit and destination point for human trafficking and people smuggling.

Madam Chair,

These kinds of crimes pose a threat to peace and security, as well as the human rights and social development of our people. We are doing what we can to put an end to them, at the domestic and international level. Last year, the Maldives acceded to the United Nations Convention on Transnational Organised Crime. We are in the process of joining the Optional Protocol on Trafficking in Persons.

Law enforcement agencies regularly coordinate with international partners and also have strong inter-agency networks to deal with crime prevention and international organised crime.  When Somali piracy spread to our waters, we stepped up our vigilance. The Government has since introduced an Anti-Piracy Bill in Parliament, which seeks to establish a legal framework to tackle piracy, and sets out the procedures for dealing with individuals suspected of committing piracy within the territorial waters of the Maldives. We are also keeping to our commitments under the Djibouti Code of Conduct, set up by the International Maritime Organisation to develop the regional capacity of countries in the Gulf of Aden and western Indian Ocean to counter piracy. The Maldives is further building its anti-piracy capacity with financial assistance from the United Nations Trust Fund for Fight against Piracy.

The law enforcement agencies of the Maldives, are also working with a number of partners in addressing international and domestic terrorism and terrorism financing. A number of regulations and laws aid this effort. Most notably, earlier this year, the Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism Act was ratified. Agencies are now working towards realisation of the provisions of this landmark Act.

While our institutions are gaining strength and capacity, corruption undermines their effectiveness. The Maldives is party to the United Nations Convention Against Corruption and is currently conducting a review to identify where the gaps are in the national legislature when compared to the Convention.  The constitutionally created, independent Anti-Corruption Commission of the Maldives is overseeing our progress on all matters of corruption, with the full commitment of the Government. In addition to ensuring that the legislative framework matches with international best practise, the Government is also committed to ensuring that the regulatory framework is up to the mark to ensure timely and effective prosecution of corruption. With these initiatives on anti-corruption and transparency, the Maldives hopes to reduce the opportunities for crimes such as human trafficking and money laundering.

Madam Chair,

Trafficking in persons is an issue of grave concern for the Maldives, obstructing our efforts to ensure the rights of all migrant workers. The increasing demand for cheap labour has led to abuses in local industries as well as illicit recruiting practices on foreign shores. In our laws and policies, the Maldives has taken concrete steps to stop human trafficking by adopting a multi-sectoral action plan and enacting a new Anti-Human Trafficking Act last year. In acknowledgment of these efforts, the Maldives was upgraded from the Tier 2 Watchlist earlier this year. The new anti-trafficking legislation takes a more systematic approach to combating human trafficking, matching strong border control with care for victims of trafficking, such as shelter, counselling, medical care and translation services.

Madam Chair,

The victims of drug trafficking are those who become addicts. Rehabilitation is the key to preventing recurring cycles of drug abuse and the resulting social harms. The international drug trade targets the most vulnerable groups in our community. Too many of our young people are affected by, or addicted to, drugs and other substances. In some cases, young children have been recruited into a culture of gangs and violence. Preventing drug abuse is an important step towards containing gang violence, and restoring peace and safety in our communities. The Maldives recently established a dedicated Drug Court to deal with drug cases using a treatment-based approach. Our rehabilitation centres are already showing positive results, as former addicts are turning their lives around.

Rehabilitation efforts are being coupled with prevention efforts, to combat the entry and selling of drugs. This is a feat considering the wide dispersion of the islands of our country. Law Enforcement Agencies cooperate closely on the matter, with efforts being made to re-establish the canine unit at Maldivian ports and airports, as well as dispatching law enforcement officials to various regions of the country to attain information and work more closely with the local communities in combating drug trade.

Victim protection is of utmost importance for both drug trafficking and human trafficking. We emphasise that targeted solutions are needed, that differentiate between addicts, peddlers, dealers and traffickers. The human dimension must not be forgotten. At the same time, we must unequivocally commit to tackling transnational organised crimes—both the root of the disease and its social symptoms. With the continued support of international organisations, and the cooperation of the international community, the Maldives will fight to halt the course of transnational crime before it crosses our shores.

Thank you.

General Debate of the First Committee

at the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly

Statement by:

His Excellency Mr. Ahmed Sareer, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives

New York, 10 October 2014

Distinguished Chairperson,

The Maldives delegation congratulates you and the other members of the Bureau on your election to the Chairmanship of the First Committee. I would like to assure you of my delegation's full support in the work ahead. Let me also take this opportunity to thank the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Angela Kane and the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs in their efforts to support the work of the Committee.

Mr Chairperson,

The Maldives does not produce any armaments or weaponry of any type nor has it any ambitions to do so.  The Maldives may not have the resources to contribute towards strengthening and enforcement of a global non-proliferation and disarmament regime. Yet, the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction is as real to us as to any other country in the world. As a community of nations, we believe every one of us has a moral imperative to do our part to preserve its peace and security.

This is why, every year we come to this Committee and we raise our voice against non-proliferation, stockpiling, arms in outer space and disarmament. This is why we do our part to address issues such as by signing and submitting regular reports to the Non-Proliferation Treat, the Chemical Weapons Convention, the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, and the Biological Weapons Convention. We highlight the dangers weapons of mass destruction pose. We endeavor to contribute to discussions focused on channeling scarce resources from research and development of weapons towards social development and the eradication of poverty. More importantly, we give moral support to those who stand up against these matters. That is why the Maldives has followed disarmament debates, including nuclear non-proliferation negotiations from their initial phases with keen interest and hope.

Let me pose a few simple questions. Do piles and arsenals of nuclear weapons make the globe more secure? Is there a need for stockpiles of the most destructive weapons? Would not the world be a better place without the existence of nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction?  I know there are dissenting views to these questions. We hope that the disarmament debates would eventually lead to a consensus towards total elimination of these unwanted weapons from the face of the earth.

Mr Chairperson,

Next is the question of the implicit humanitarian consequences of a nuclear strike. No nation on earth has the ability to deal with the repercussions of the same weapons that they regard as a symbol of pride. The use of nuclear weapons not only causes the gravest humanitarian emergencies, but it also has catastrophic global ramifications on the environment, climate, health, social order, human development and, in worst case scenarios, can lead to the annihilation of an entire nation. The Maldives welcomes the increased attention on the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons reflected in the conferences in Oslo last year and Mexico this February. We further welcome Austria's initiative to host the 3rd Conference on the Humanitarian Impact of Nuclear Weapons in December. We welcome the designation of 26 September each year as the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, which was launched a few days ago. No doubt, these initiatives strengthen the global nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime, contributing to the growing momentum to firmly anchor the international efforts towards nuclear disarmament.

Conventional weapons pose an equal threat to humanity. Access to small arms and light weapons in the wrong hands constitute a greater threat in further destabilizing already fragile situations. It increases the risk of escalation to civil wars and large-scale regional and international conflicts. The Arms Trade Treaty that was adopted in April 2013 was a clear demonstration of the global community's resolve to control these conventional weapons.  We eagerly await its entry into force in December. The Maldives is in the process of acceding to this treaty in a near future.

The Maldives is well aware of the fundamental importance of compliance with commitments made in the context of disarmament. On a national level, our stringent domestic laws and means of control have ensured that the illicit trade in arms does not occur at all, either within the local population or with other countries. On the international level, the Maldives annually submits its report to the United Nations Register of Conventional Arms.

Mr Chairperson,

The Maldives has always advocated for regional disarmament in order to ensure peace, security and stability. We have continuously supported the establishment of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, since the declaration was adopted by the General Assembly in 1971.

Mr Chairperson,

This Committee has a massive responsibility to address all these issues of disarmament. We keep hearing statement after statement in support of cutting down the number of weapons in order to make the world more safe and secure. Therefore where we stand is clear. We, as a global community, have a moral responsibility towards making headway in this endeavor for the sake of our future generations. My delegation stands ready to work with you all.

Thank you.