Vice President Concludes Official New York UNGA Visit

Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef concluded an official visit to New York yesterday, following his participation in the High-level Week of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 81).

During the summit, the Vice President advanced the Maldives’ key international priorities, focusing on global governance, climate resilience, and the sovereignty of small island states.

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In his national address during the General Debate, he emphasised the right of every nation to self-determination and addressed the security challenges facing small states. He aligned these objectives with President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s vision for the Maldives to achieve developed nation status by 2040. 

He also reiterated the Maldives’ call for an independent Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and advocated for UN reform, including a dedicated, rotating Security Council seat for Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

Speaking at the High-Level Plenary Meeting on sea-level rise, the Vice President addressed the threat of climate change, stating that the Maldives would focus on resilience rather than retreat. He called for accessible, grant-based adaptation financing and insisted that rising sea levels should not undermine legally established maritime baselines or statehood under international law.

To further strengthen international ties, the Vice President held key discussions with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, and also addressed the China-hosted Global Development Initiative.