Muizzu Highlights Need for Capacity Building for Economic Growth 

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu recognised the need for increased productivity and capacity building to achieve long-term, inclusive economic growth at the Maldives’ side event, “Building Productive Capacities in Small Island Developing States (SIDS),” at the UN.

Speaking at the event, Muizzu acknowledged the Maldives’ progress from a low-income to an upper-middle-income country, primarily due to the growth of the tourism sector. He further highlighted the challenges to overcoming the middle-income trap. To address this, Muizzu called upon the international community to assist SIDS in diversifying their economies and expanding their productive capacity frameworks.

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In his statement, Muizzu proposed three key strategies to achieve the Ten-Year Programme of Action outlined in the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for SIDS (ABAs).

These strategies include:

• Technological Advancement: Muizzu reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to facilitating access to global payment gateways, ensuring that the country is fully integrated into the global market.
• Resilient Infrastructure: Muizzu revealed the Maldives’ initiatives to upgrade infrastructure across key sectors, including transportation, energy, and digital connectivity, in order to access global supply chains and attract new investments.
• Evidence-Based Policy: This includes the Productive Capacities Index developed by UNCTAD. The President urged development partners to provide financial support for tools that help make informed policy decisions and drive economic change. He also invited UNCTAD and other relevant UN agencies to collaborate with the Maldives to identify country-specific policy interventions to boost productivity.

Muizzu concluded his keynote address by inviting panellists to recommend actionable steps for improving productive capacities and fostering innovation.

This side event was co-hosted by the Maldives, in collaboration with St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Muizzu Envisions Youth Empowerment and Digital Innovation for Maldives’ Future

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has envisioned a future for the Maldives, where young people are empowered, and where digital innovation is the engine that drives economic opportunity and social equity. He made these remarks during his address at the Plenary Segment of the Summit of the Future, held at the General Assembly Hall of the United Nations Headquarters (UNHQ).

In his address, Muizzu called for the multilateral system to not be an abstract concept but a practical reality in addressing global challenges. Muizzu presented three proposals aimed at enhancing the multilateral system to yield tangible results.

Firstly, Muizzu highlighted the critical importance of empowering young people. He emphasised the need to design declarations and agreements to inspire and engage the youth. Additionally, he outlined his initiatives to include young people in the policymaking process and to create opportunities for them to unleash their creative potential.

Secondly, Muizzu emphasised the urgent need to combat climate change, noting that climate anxiety is a real issue affecting approximately 62 percent of youth worldwide. He reiterated the Maldives’ commitment to combatting climate change and called on all countries to fulfill their responsibilities in this regard.

Thirdly, Muizzu emphasised that financing is essential to bring positive outcomes. He stressed the need for reliable and sustainable development and climate funding and called for a financial system that listens and works for everyone.

Before closing his statement, Muizzu also stated that future generations will judge not the processes initiated, but the concrete actions taken by international community, and called to halt the genocidal war in Gaza, to hold perpetrators of human rights accountable, and to grant the State of Palestine full membership of the United Nations.

Muizzu Holds Talks with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu met with United Nations Secretary-General His Excellency Antonio Guterres.

At the meeting, Muizzu emphasised the Maldives’ commitment to playing a more active role in the UN system, particularly on key issues affecting Small Island Developing States (SIDS). He also briefed the Secretary General on the fiscal challenges facing the country, adding that the government is working on a fiscal reform agenda to bring down debt and fiscal conditions to a sustainable level. Muizzu stressed the importance of support from bilateral and multilateral partners in this effort.

During the meeting, United Nations Secretary-General commended the Maldives for its efforts in addressing global challenges, particularly on climate change adaptation. He emphasised his full commitment to supporting the Maldives in its adaptation efforts and in tackling other pressing challenges faced by the nation.

Muizzu concluded the meeting by thanking the Secretary-General by expressing his appreciation for the UN’s efforts to provide opportunities for all member nations to address global concerns under the Secretary-General’s leadership.

Muizzu attended the opening segment of the Summit of the Future at the United Nations Headquarters. The Summit brings world leaders together to build a consensus on addressing current challenges and safeguarding the future.

The two-day Summit aims to accelerate progress on existing international commitments and tackle emerging challenges through the Pact for the Future, an action-oriented outcome document. The Summit also seeks to create mechanisms that reflect 21st-century realities, including a Global Digital Compact and a Declaration on Future Generations.

The President is scheduled to deliver a statement at the Plenary Segment of the Summit, as well as co-chair an interactive dialogue of the Summit “Towards a Common Digital Future: strengthening inclusive innovation and cooperation to bridge the digital divide.”