President sends message on the occasion of the Maldives’ 55th anniversary of UN Membership

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has this morning sent a message on the occasion of the Maldives 55th anniversary as a member state of the United Nations.

The President's message reads as follows:

Today marks our 55th Anniversary as a member state of the United Nations. This is a proud milestone for us. At the time of our independence, July 26 1965, many in the international community doubted that an impoverished island state in the Indian Ocean, with a population numbering less than two hundred thousand people, could stand on its own two feet as a sovereign nation. Thankfully, the United Nations Security Council, after debating the merits of our admission, passed Resolution 212, recommending our membership to the General Assembly.

We remain grateful for that decision and have never taken it for granted. In the time since, we have transformed our country into a middle income economy, sustained by a world-renowned tourism industry. We are one of the most active and visible small island states, acting in concert with our international peers to resolve pressing issues, including the climate emergency, and Covid-19. We have used every opportunity to be represented on some of the UN’s most important platforms – including in its Human Rights Council on two occasions.

As we celebrate this anniversary of our membership, which almost exactly coincides with the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations itself, we commit to always abide by the principles and values enshrined in its Charter. Those values, most importantly, multilateral engagement on the basis of mutual respect among all nations, is what will allow us to confront and resolve the challenges that face us.