National Consultation on Readiness to Implement Action Plan to Strengthen Regional Cooperation on Social Protection: Maldives

I take this opportunity to welcome you to a critical stage of efforts from the United Nations in supporting the Government of Maldives’ review of social protection, in order to ensure that all Maldivians can access income security when their livelihoods are disrupted.

It is my great pleasure to welcome and thank the Social Development Team of ESCAP, who have enthusiastically launched efforts in Maldives and 5 other countries in the region to stock take their readiness to implement the Action Plan to Strengthen Regional Cooperation on Social Protection, and achieve more inclusive and comprehensive social protection systems. As part of the UN Country Team,  ESCAP is a key resource for both the Government and UN on preparing and analysing data on those left furthest behind, which is helping to both inform present preparations for the Voluntary National Review (VNR), and for the development of the Maldives Action Plan on Ageing.

Allow me to recognize the commitment of Vice President Nasym, in his personal leadership and careful steerage of the Social Council. Given the breadth and scope of coverage of the social sector, and the important place within which this work occupies, we continue to rely on your proactive leadership strategic thinking for bringing together the many multiple Government stakeholders.

Under the dedicated leadership of Minister Didi, Maldives has demonstrated its commitment at the regional level, co-chairing the Asia-Pacific group of experts that developed the regional plan. Now is an ideal time to gather and review the various components of Maldives’ social protection system, and take what has served us well, and what we can adapt and adjust to transform our system into one which meets our needs for the future.

I’m very pleased to see our friends from the Ministry of Finance here with us today. As many in the room know, we will shortly launch the results of the Maldives Social Sector Review, which is the second core piece of our flagship joint programme for an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) for financing the SDGs. The design of this piece came about as the result of my first meeting with the Vice President back in the very early days of my arrival to the Maldives in 2020. Delivering on the results of this initiative focus on increasing the efficiency and quality of, and access to, social services in the Maldives. Social protection support will always fulfil an essential safety net within this portfolio, and through our hopefully very long and good quality lives, many of us will at some point avail of this support to live a dignified and independent life. It is vital that the reform of our social protection system is well coordinated through a holistic and lifecycle approach, and connecting in to all other development policies and objectives of the Maldivian Government and its partners.

Ladies and gentlemen. At the heart of the UN Maldives Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2022-2026 is investing in people. Rather than see social protection measures as a burden on the State, we have a very real opportunity to think how a more holistic and strategic social protection system is an economic investment in our future labour market, economy, and future prosperity of the country.

To our esteemed Government partners and friends, please continue to see the UN as your expert resource in this space, bringing to Maldives the exchange of experience from both other similar countries in the region, as well as those to whom we may aspire in our road towards achieving the SDGs in the Maldives. As Resident Coordinator, I will continue to draw in resources and expertise from across the globe, and look forward to a dynamic and collaborative partnership with you in this agenda to leave no Maldivians behind.

For those who can join tomorrow, I strongly encourage you to do so, or to ensure that your technical staff can. I had my own personal demonstration of ESCAP’s Social Protection Simulator during a recent visit to Bangkok, and am certain that we can use this highly effective tool for targeted policy making in the Maldives.

In the meantime, I am looking forward to hearing the full set of recommendations today, and to be part of the discussions with you on how we can take forward the ideas in a way that work for the unique context of the Maldives. It will be a very proud and meaningful moment when we finalize the stocktaking report on social protection, and can issue the report in partnership with Ministry of Gender, Family and Social Services and ESCAP.

Shukurriya and Thank You