UNGA Statements

UNGA76 (2021)

Statement by Her Excellency Thilmeeza Hussain, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations, at the Plenary of the Seventy Sixth Session of the UN General Assembly: Oceans and law of the sea

Statement by
Her Excellency Ms. Thilmeeza Hussain,
Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations,
at the Plenary of the Seventy Sixth Session of the UN General Assembly:

Oceans and law of the sea
7 December 2021


Thank you, Mr. President,

The Maldives aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Antigua and Barbuda on behalf of the Alliance of Small Island States.

My delegation thanks the Secretary-General and the Co-Chairs of the Informal Consultative Process on Oceans and the Law of the Sea for their respective reports.

Mr. President,

Ocean is the source of life on our blue planet. In a multitude of ways, it supports humanity's sustenance and provides for the brilliant biodiversity of our world. Disturbingly, the Secretary-General's report underscores the urgency and severity of anthropogenic pressures on our ocean. From acidification to coral bleaching, our ocean is under stress and for those whose lives are closely intertwined with it, so are our fates.1For, we may soon witness Member States of this august body leaving the United Nations, and not by choice Mr. President, but because the ocean has engulfed them, and these will be the smallest and the most vulnerable of us. However, Mr. President, with accelerated, united action to protect and restore our ocean, we can avoid this fate and ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for all countries, leaving no one behind.

Mr. President,

Our islands proudly bear custodianship over 90,000 square kilometres of the Indian Ocean and it is an inalienable part of Maldivian identity, culture, and thought. It is also
the lifeblood of our economy and the guarantor of our prosperity. Our communities, industries, coastlines, and waters are at the front-line of the successes and failures of the world’s efforts to ensure a future of sustainable ocean development. Our tourism sector, inextricably linked to the health of our oceans, directly and indirectly accounts for 75% of our GDP. Similarly, our fishing sector, where we continue to practice our traditional, sustainable pole and line fishing, is a primary economic activity in nearly all of our inhabited islands and our leading physical export.


Mr. President,

We continue to do all that we can as an individual Small Island Developing State to protect the Earth's most precious resource, but this protection is naturally an endeavour that demands global cooperation. Recognising this, the Maldives has always sought to advance a leadership role in promoting and progressing global cooperation on the sustainable management and use of our ocean. On World Ocean Day last year, we co-launched the Group of Friends to Combat Plastic Pollution. The Group's 46 founding members act on a shared recognition of this growing issue and our urgent need to raise awareness and advocacy for coordinated multilateral action. In this regard, we join AOSIS
members and others in calling for the launch of an intergovernmental negotiating to develop a new legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution.

Mr. President,

The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea remains of paramount importance in our common endeavour to safeguard the oceans. Its universality reflects the principle that international cooperation is truly our only option to mitigate and prevent the dire consequences of continued degradation of our oceans. We look forward to next year's resumption of the intergovernmental processes on Biodiversity in Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction.

We also note the ongoing work of the International Law Commission on sea-level rise in relation to international law. We welcome the observations of the Co-Chairs of the Study Group on this thematic issue, expressed in their First Issues Paper, that there is a body of State practice developing regarding the preservation of baselines and of outer limits of maritime zones measured from baselines. We reiterate that it is the Maldives' position that once maritime entitlements are determined in accordance with UNCLOS, those
entitlements are fixed and will not be altered by any subsequent physical changes to a State's geography as a result of sea-level rise. We look forward to continuing to engage with the ILC Study Group on this important theme.


Mr. President,

The Secretary-General's report also discusses progress made with regard to climate finance, especially with regard to the Green Climate Fund and the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub. While we welcome any increases in climate financing, we stress that the current level of funding is miniscule compared to the estimated trillions required each year to build our resilience and make the necessary transformations to our energy, transport and other systems. SIDS are particularly vulnerable to climate change and the degradation of our oceans are a double burden that we must bear. Existing frameworks for international financing require urgent attention, evaluation and remedy, and we again stress the need for concessional, grant-based, adequate and predictable financing for SIDS.


Mr. President,

The Secretary General correctly notes that achieving ocean sustainability will require urgent and greater efforts on all fronts to reverse the current disturbing trends. We need to transform humanity's current relationship with the ocean to ensure that our development does not endanger the planets most precious resource. In light of the intergovernmental processes ahead, 2022 will be a critical year for our collaborative efforts to yield results that will protect our ocean for generations to come. We do not have the luxury of settling for anything less.

I thank you.

Statement by Her Excellency Thilmeeza Hussain, Permanent Representative of Republic of Maldives to the United Nations At the Plenary of the Seventy Sixth Session of the UN General Assembly: Culture of Peace

Statement by  

Her Excellency Thilmeeza Hussain,  Permanent Representative of the Republic of Maldives to the United Nations  

At the Plenary of the Seventy Sixth Session of the UN General Assembly:  

 Culture of Peace  

6 December 2021 

Thank you, Mr. President, 

It is heartening to once again join the annual consensus, now in its 22nd year, to reassert, reaffirm and renew the dedication of member states to build a culture of peace.  

We would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report on this agenda item and also extend our appreciation to UNESCO for coordinating the preparation of the report with the various UN entities.  

Mr. President, 

When we adopted the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace by consensus in 1999, we lived in a very different world. Yet, the notion that we are engaged in a collective commitment to building a culture of peace persists and this shows how fundamental it is to the achievement of any human endeavour.  

What the Secretary-General’s report makes clear is that peace is not a goal that can be achieved by itself. It is built on foundations. Foundations such as a healthy environment that provides healthy food, water and clean air, as well as adequate housing, health care, education and social needs that are met. At the multilateral level, we must use our foundational institutions, such as the United Nations, including this august Assembly, to resolve differences, before they become disputes.  

Mr. President, 

As noted in the Secretary-General’s report, COVID-19 has amplified the existing inequalities within, and among societies, and it is particularly affecting the most vulnerable. This includes education. As schools around the world suddenly shifted to remote-based learning, it served as a spark of innovation for some, but for others, it has widened an already existing socioeconomic and digital divide. This digital divide must be bridged to in order for us not to leave the most vulnerable disconnected.  

Mr. President, 

With our increasingly online world, we must contend with the disturbing role social media has played in fuelling discrimination, racism and islamophobia, and in exacerbating polarization. We must ensure that online free speech is not used as an instrument to incite hatred or violence. Steps must be taken to build safe, collective online spaces. We must build an online culture of peace that echoes our words and commitments made here today.  

Mr. President, 

At the international level, the pandemic has laid bare the inadequacies of our international financial system to provide developing countries, and in particular small island states, with the necessary support to ensure that we can build back better, as we emerge from this pandemic. Failure to provide the necessary support to the most in need threatens to create the conditions that may undermine the foundation necessary to maintain the ongoing culture of peace.  

Climate change too poses a significant threat to the Maldives and other small island developing states. Climate change encompasses slow onset events such as sea level rise and erosion that displace populations and undermine peace. What makes climate change particularly distressing is that it is also a threat multiplier that exacerbates existing challenges, including extreme weather events. These types of events can set back decades of development gains. Given these dangers, it is imperative that vulnerable populations and their cultural heritage is protected.  

Climate change also undermines our ability to achieve the SDGs and our capacity to lay solid foundations for enduring peace. We welcome the outcomes from COP26 in Glasgow, but the message is loud and clear – we urgently need to do more. Climate change places a stress not just on our environments, but also on our people and social systems. Adapting to its effects consumes an ever-increasing portion of our fiscal and human capacity. We must remain vigilant against the compounding and ever-increasing impacts of climate change. These impacts will undermine our food and water security, as well as the global food chains that provide the necessities of life, which, if we do not  act with foresight and solidarity, is a threat to the culture of peace everywhere.  

Mr. President, 

The Declaration and Programme of Action on a culture of peace rightly identifies governments, civil society, media, and individuals as key actors for its effective implementation. In the same spirit as your Presidency of Hope, peace requires inclusive and thoughtful engagement between all stakeholders of society, including governments, youth groups, businesses, and religious and cultural leaders. Only through open dialogue can we build a shared purpose and understanding.  

Mr. President, 

We are a small archipelagic nation located in the heart of the Indian Ocean. For centuries, this has given us the opportunity to interact with people of different cultures. Through these engagements, we have also co-opted elements of their cultures into our own – thus making ours richer and also, more peaceful. Our commitment to a culture of peace stems from our core values prioritising development and peace. The administration of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has further enhanced these priorities, including the restoration, revival and protection of our culture and heritage for future generations. 

Mr. President, 

Peace is not a given, it is something we must constantly work towards. Even when we achieve it, we must continue to nurture and protect it, for, as we overcome one challenge, another is on the horizon. Therefore, as we mark the 22nd year of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, let us, together with renewed vigor and hope, assert and re-affirm our commitment to build a culture of peace, a more tolerant global society, and a harmonious and peaceful world for generations to come.  

I thank you.   

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