Maldives Committed to Advancing Social Progress, Says VP Latheef

Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to advancing global social progress through inclusivity, equity, and resilience at the Second World Summit for Social Development (WSSD2), held in Doha, Qatar.

Delivering his plenary statement yesterday, the Vice President reflected on the global journey since the first summit in 1995, noting that despite clear ambitions to place social development at the heart of peace and prosperity, progress has been uneven. He cited stalled women’s rights, widening inequalities, and the climate crisis as major challenges.

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He underscored that in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as the Maldives, people are the nation’s greatest resource, and investing in human capital remains central to progress. He said the Government continues to focus on healthcare, education, digital transformation, and climate resilience, aligned with national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Highlighting the need for greater fiscal flexibility, the Vice President proposed converting debt into resilience-building instruments to strengthen social protection, infrastructure, and digital inclusion.

He also noted the Maldives’ achievements in providing universal old-age pensions and health coverage, and its Creative Economic Strategic Action Plan, which aims for the creative sector to contribute 15 per cent to GDP by 2030.

Concluding, the Vice President called for stronger global solidarity and reform of international financial systems to create space for investment in people.