YouSaid · the spoken record

Ahmed Khaleel

lines on the record: 34
first: 2008-09-24
most recent: 2023-09-24
sittings or episodes: 2
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“We will also continue to raise our voice on the links between climate change and sea-level rise and peace and security, which are becoming more and more apparent. Mutual respect and deep-seated cooperation are the cornerstones for effectively addressing our collective challenges. Together, we have the potential to achieve peace. Together, we can chart new paths towards sustainable development and together, we can leave behind a future that is better than what we found. The Maldives will continue to collaborate with our fellow nations in the international community, united in our shared commitment, to deliver that vision.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We must also work towards bringing non-traditional security threats to the forefront of global discourse on peace and security. Terrorism and violent extremism continue to plague us. They transcends borders; they have no single face or faith. As such, the Maldives remains resolute in its unwavering commitment to countering terrorism and extremism. We condemn the repeated and public acts of the desecration of the Holy Quran in some European countries. The repeated and public acts of desecration of the Holy Quran cannot be justified under the guise of freedom of speech and expression, and is of grave concern. It is necessary to combat the rise of Islamophobia and hate speech through concerted global action.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“In that regard, we recently made a written submission to the International Court of Justice demonstrating our support for the right to self-determination of the Palestinian people — a cause that deeply resonates with us. Their rights can be most effectively protected only through a two- State solution based on the pre-1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as the capital of an independent and sovereign State of Palestine. This brings me to our sixth and final area of focus — upholding international peace and security. The Maldives advocates for the unwavering adherence to the Charter of the United Nations. The people of Ukraine. Myanmar and many other countries across the world deserve peace and prosperity. Most importantly, they deserve a dignified life.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“which will be held in just a few days, will also proceed in a similarly peaceful, festive and orderly manner. Our firm commitment to protecting human rights at home is mirrored by our international engagements. I am proud to share that, with our recent ratification of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance, the Maldives is now a State party to eight of the core international human rights conventions. We also take great pride in our active participation in the Human Rights Council since its inception. We are glad to assume our role as a Council member once again this year, also serving as Vice-President from the Group of Asia-Pacific States. We will work with all States towards the protection of human rights around the world.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We recognize the invaluable role of women in diplomacy, who continue to lead us towards a more sustainable future, and it is our hope that the seats behind me on this rostrum will one day be occupied by women. Together we must work to promote and protect human rights, one of the pillars of our foreign policy and our fifth area of focus. The need to protect human rights was the basis of our democratic journey. The right to express ourselves without reprisal; the right to peaceful assembly; the right to freely choose our leaders — those rights are sacred. This month, the first round of our presidential elections went ahead in a peaceful, festive and orderly manner. In that election, we saw a record number of candidates, which we believe to be a sign of a maturing democracy. We assure the global community that the run-off.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We urge the international financial institutions to use the index as a tool, ensuring that the vulnerabilities of developing countries are integrated into decision-making, enabling easier access to affordable financing and debt relief. Our fourth focus area of focus is eliminating gender barriers and ensuring gender equality. Women deserve more than a seat at the table; they should play an active and equal role in shaping decisions. The Maldives is committed to its endeavours as a champion for women’s rights and gender equality. One of our initiatives in that regard was the establishment of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, celebrated every year on 24 June.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We also recognize that sustainable development can truly be fostered with sustainable and affordable financing. We need a global response to guarantee the necessary liquidity support for developing countries, especially SIDS, to facilitate a recovery that addresses the scale of the debt burden, exacerbated by the coronavirus disease pandemic. And so. the international financial institutions must reassess their eligibility criteria in providing concessional loans and grants. They must look beyond gross domestic product as the sole measure of development. The answer lies with the early adoption and use of the multidimensional vulnerability index.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We are also undergoing a digital revolution, with the proliferation of online education, telemedicine and e-payment systems. We are bringing services closer to the people who need them. Those efforts are. in turn, supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises — the backbone of our economy. The provision of easy payment procedures, coupled with enhanced physical connectivity, have expanded the reach of such businesses beyond individual islands. Issues like this are what we intend to bring to the fourth International Conference on SIDS next year. As co-Chair of the Preparatory Committee for the Conference, we witnessed a robust foundation laid out during the preparatory meetings for a forward looking and action-oriented programme of action for SIDS.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Our third priority area is to renew our commitment to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development with the provision of adequate and sustainable financing for development. The Sustainable Development Goals Summit and the High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development have already expressed our collective commitment towards addressing these issues. Today we stand at the midpoint of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The Maldives showcased its progress, presenting our second voluntary national review in July at the High-level Political Forum. We identified that physical and digital connectivity can accelerate our achievement of the 2030 Agenda. Recognizing that, the Government of Maldives has established an Integrated National Public Ferry Network, which connects our widely dispersed islands to one another.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Earlier this year, we asked the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion on the obligation of States with respect to climate change. The historic Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted, promising to deliver for nature. The historic agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the conservation and sustainable use of marine biological diversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction was adopted, and we call for international support to build capacity in implementing provisions of the agreement. We also call for ambition during the intergovernmental negotiations to develop an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. It is time to turn agreement into action!”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We must make an urgent call to close the gap between ambition and implementation. A definitive road map to reduce emissions, in line with the main goals of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, is crucial. We must also see adaptation as a universal challenge and demand adequate financing. We must operationalize and capitalize the Loss and Damage Fund and scale up existing funding arrangements. Given the inherent link between climate and the ocean, we must also do more to protect that vast and important resource. As a large ocean State, we have an intrinsic responsibility to protect the ocean and its marine resources — a responsibility many of us share. We have seen the value of working together to fight climate change and protect our environment.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“We are proud to have led the work towards the adoption of the landmark resolution 76/300. recognizing the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, a milestone we celebrated in this very Hall last year. Domestically, we will continue to display strong and ambitious climate action. We have a net zero target of 2030. We are conserving and protecting parts of our ocean, marine species and corals, and we are taking concrete steps to phase out single-use plastics. At the upcoming the twenty-eighth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28). we must all raise climate ambition to secure our future, for the future. As we approach the first ever global stocktake at COP28. science must be given precedence.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“we were among the 10 countries that requested the inclusion of an agenda item on the agenda of the General Assembly on the question of equitable representation and expansion of the Security Council. Today we reiterate our calls to increase the number of permanent and non-permanent seats alike, while ensuring equitable geographic representation. We reiterate our call for a dedicated seat for small island developing States (SIDS) in an expanded Security Council. We believe that this will make the Council more responsive and responsible. Secondly, we must confront the climate crisis. Warming beyond 1.5°C will lead to catastrophic ecological loss, causing severe damage to our lives and livelihoods. We have recognized that the climate crisis is a threat to security, development and human rights at multiple platforms.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“That is why we have put forward our candidatures to the Security Council, for the term 2033-2034; the Economic and Social Council, for the term 2027-2029; and to the Committee on the Rights on the Child, for the term 2025-2029. Enhancing the representation of small States in decision-making bodies is essential to ensure that the Organisation lives up to its ideal to leave no one behind. A fair, just and equitable multilateral system also requires the revitalization of the United Nations as a whole. At the forefront of that revitalization is the much-needed reform of the Security Council, a goal the Maldives has advocated for from the very beginning. In 1979.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“First, we will work towards ensuring a more fair, just and equitable multilateral system, one that caters to everyone, but especially its weakest and the smallest. Small States deserve a seat at the table. We have the most to gain from multilateralism and indeed, the most to lose. Small States know that a rules-based international order, one where all States have an equitable voice, is essential. Small States know that shared problems can be solved only through shared solutions. Small States stand up for principles because it is those principles that will safeguard us in our time of need. Small States like the Maldives have therefore always looked at ways to contribute.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Just five days ago. we celebrated 58 years since we gained membership of the United Nations. Over the past 58 years, the Maldives has reaped the many benefits that multilateralism has to offer. From being the poorest country upon gaining our independence, we became only the third country to graduate from least developed country status. We have assumed leadership roles. And our track record, our credentials and our achievements speak for themselves. We have demonstrated that neither size nor vulnerability holds us back, but hope, commitment and our principles drive us forward. We have approached every session of the General Assembly in that same spirit. And for the seventy-eighth session, the Maldives wishes to highlight six areas of focus that will guide our engagement in this crucial body.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“Let me begin by congratulating Mr. Dennis Francis on his election to his important high office. It is a testament to one of our key principles — that small island developing States (SIDS) can lead and SIDs must lead. I also thank Mr. Csaba Korosi for his leadership of the seventy-seventh session. We commend the Secretary-General for his leadership and commit our full support for his tremendous work. Our global community today is grappling with multifaceted challenges, from ongoing and new conflicts to pandemics, climate change to food insecurities, gender-based inequalities to intolerance. Addressing them requires recommitting to the values of peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability. We firmly support President Francis’s priorities. The Maldives has always been a principled and committed member of the Organisation.”
2023-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 78 (2023)
“I offer our full support to the United Nations in its resolute efforts to maintain international peace and security and to work towards the betterment of all humanity.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Despite the criticisms levelled against the United Nations, my country remains convinced that the Organization is the most potent and credible universal institution today. For the past six decades, the United Nations has been a beacon of hope for peoples around the world. Its universal character and the multilateralism that it embodies hold true to the ideals and virtues upon which it was founded and, without a doubt, provide the only viable framework for solving the world’s great challenges, including climate change, sustainable development, human rights and global terrorism. I therefore reaffirm the Maldives’ commitment to the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The Maldives reiterates its support for the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to an independent and sovereign homeland. We believe that the two-State solution remains the only viable option and needs to be pursued with greater vigour and vitality. The United Nations in the twenty-first century must have the ability to take on emerging challenges in an expeditious and efficient manner. While we applaud the present efforts to reform and revitalize the Organization, we believe that such reforms cannot be successfully achieved without the much-anticipated reform of the Security Council. In that regard, we are happy that the Assembly has decided to proceed to intergovernmental negotiations in early 2009. We look forward to participating in those negotiations.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The continued scourge of terrorism is particularly alarming when seen in the context of the spread of nuclear arms and other weapons of mass destruction. The threat of a terrorist organization gaining access to such weapons is extremely alarming. I am happy to note that the Maldives is now party to almost all the international conventions on counter- terrorism. Despite its limited resource and expertise, the Maldives has been actively working towards implementing its various regional and multilateral obligations under the international counter-terrorism regime. I would therefore like to take this opportunity to reiterate our commitment to combating global terrorism and to Security Council resolutions 1373 (2001) and 1540 (2004) in particular. A permanent and lasting resolution to the question of Palestine remains elusive.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Although the situation in the Maldives at present is relatively stable, the potential of a severe blow to our economy is alarmingly high. The Government is fully aware of the risks involved and is taking all necessary precautionary measures to ensure that the crisis does not adversely affect the daily lives and well-being of our people. Organized crime and terrorism are continuing to threaten the maintenance of international peace and security. The recent bombings in India and Pakistan are yet another tragic reminder of the evil and insidious nature of terrorism. It is therefore important for the international community to ensure that the war against 41 08-53141 terrorism remains a main priority on the international agenda.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It is now believed that the global food and energy crisis will drive more than 100 million more people into poverty. While short-term measures may ease the immediate pressures, we believe that a sustainable solution to the problem lies in a fair and equitable trading regime and a shared vision of partnership and cooperation. The early and successful completion of the Doha Development Round and the successful outcome of the post-Bali negotiations, as well as the Follow-up International Conference on Financing for Development to be held in Qatar at the end of this year will prove critical in that regard. As a country that depends on importing most of its food and all of its energy resources, the Maldives is extremely concerned about the rise in global food and energy prices.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The Council will formally debate the issue at its tenth session in March 2009, and we hope that due consideration will be given to the outcome of the debate by our colleagues in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as they work to ensure an effective and equitable successor to the Kyoto Protocol. The Maldives is encouraged by the renewed international impetus towards a more sustained and robust approach to achieving the MDGs. Indeed, the high-level event on the MDGs held last week clearly illustrates the collective commitment and interest of the international community to work towards achieving those Goals. The interrelationship between climate change, food security and the attainment of the MDGs cannot be overemphasized.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The Maldives and other small island developing States contribute the least to global warming, and yet their development and, indeed, their very existence are fundamentally threatened by global warming and its consequences. Addressing the injustices of climate change is therefore the moral and ethical responsibility of the entire international community. It is time that we put people back in the climate change debate. We believe that a comprehensive rights-based approach to sustainable and just development, anchored in the concept of common but differentiated responsibility, is now an imperative. In that regard, we are happy that, at the initiative of the Maldives and 80 other like-minded countries, the United Nations Human Rights Council for the first time, earlier this year, recognized the link between human rights and climate change.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Hence, the Maldives and many other small island developing States do not have the luxury of hesitation and inaction, nor can we afford to pick and choose where and when that important issue needs to be addressed. For us, it is not solely a development issue, but also a moral, ethical, political, legal and human rights issue, as well as a grave security issue. That is why the President of the Maldives took the initiative in 1987 to raise that issue before the Assembly. That is also why the Maldives participated in the Security Council debate on the issue last year, and why the Maldives decided to raise the issue before the Human Rights Council in 2008. The inverse relationship between responsibility for climate change and vulnerability to its consequences is often overlooked.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“For the Maldives, climate change is not a distant possibility. It is happening now and is a reality that we are experiencing on a daily basis. The continuing degradation of the global environment is not only undermining our development process, but also seriously threatening the very survival of our people and the existence of our tiny country. We are all aware of the grim predictions in the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. If those predictions were to come true, the Maldives and many other small island developing States and low-lying coastal areas would cease to exist within a relatively short period of time.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“It is now accepted beyond any doubt that climate change poses the most immediate and far-reaching threat to human security, directly compromising the most fundamental rights, including the right to self-determination and the right to life itself, for millions of people around the world. From the highest Himalayan peaks to the low- lying coastal areas and small islands a metre or so above sea level, global warming and changing weather patterns are undermining the lives and livelihoods of millions of people around the planet, with the poor 08-53141 40 being especially vulnerable. The recent hurricanes that left such a trail of destruction across the Caribbean once again brought into sharp relief the acute vulnerabilities of small island States, such as the Maldives, to global warming and climate change.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We believe that the ongoing political, legal and human rights reform agenda will further strengthen our progress and propel us to new heights of socio-economic development, with the support of our partners. As a result of our rapid development progress, four years ago the Assembly decided to graduate the Maldives from the list of least developed countries. The Maldives is also being hailed by the international community as a major success story of the multilateral development assistance framework. And yet those hard-won achievements will be rendered meaningless if MDG 7 — environmental sustainability — cannot be guaranteed.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Our ability to provide for the welfare of our people was extremely limited. The economy was based largely on subsistence fishery, and the health and education sectors were severely underdeveloped. However, since then, the Maldives has achieved remarkable levels of socio-economic progress. Thirty years of strong and unwavering political leadership, complemented by the hard work of our people and the generous assistance of our development partners, have enabled the country successfully to pursue a people-centred path of sustainable development, based on social equity and justice. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are now fully incorporated into our national development priorities, and I am happy to note that we are among those countries that are on track to achieve most of the MDGs by 2015.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Those gains were made with the help of the international community, particularly the Commonwealth, the European Union and the United Nations. I thank them for their invaluable support, encouragement and assistance in implementing the reform programme. My Government is also extremely grateful to those organizations for accepting our request for election monitoring and assistance in the electoral process. We are firm in our resolve that the elections shall be held in a free and fair manner in full conformity with internationally recognized standards and best practice. When the Maldives joined the United Nations in 1965, we were one of the smallest and poorest States Members of this Organization. We lacked even the most basic political, legal and economic infrastructure and institutions necessary for self-governance.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“To safeguard the foundations of democracy on our islands, several oversight bodies — a National Human Rights Commission that complies with the Paris Principles, a Judicial Service Commission and an independent Elections Commission — have been established and are now operational. Significant progress is also being made in reforming and restructuring the legal and judicial system of the country to align it with internationally accepted norms and standards. In accordance with the new Constitution, the Maldives will hold its first multiparty presidential election early next week. Parliamentary elections will be held before the end of February and local municipal elections will be completed by July next year.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“In addition, I should like to offer my delegation’s heartfelt gratitude to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his inspiring leadership and dedication in promoting the noble principles and ideals of this Organization. Four years ago, the people of the Maldives embarked on a comprehensive reform programme aimed at strengthening and modernizing democratic governance in the country. Within that short period of time, unprecedented reforms have been adopted and the political landscape of the country has been completely transformed. A new Constitution that fully guarantees the civil liberties and fundamental freedoms of our people was adopted on 7 August 2008.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“I am delivering this statement on behalf of His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, who, unfortunately, had to cancel his trip to New York at the last minute owing to various pressing engagements at home. 39 08-53141 Permit me to begin by expressing my delegation’s warmest congratulations to Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann on his election to preside over the General Assembly at its sixty-third session. I assure him of the full support and cooperation of my delegation in his work. I should also like to take this opportunity to express our profound appreciation to his predecessor, Mr. Srgjan Kerim, for the exemplary manner in which he guided the work of the Assembly at its sixty-second session.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)