UN Day 2025 Official Reception - Closing Remarks by His Excellency Hon. Dr. Abdulla Khaeel, Minister of Foreign Affairs

United Nations Resident Coordinator for the Maldives, Mr. Hao Zhang,
Cabinet colleagues,
Members of the Diplomatic Community,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

There are moments in a nation’s history that invite us to pause:
to look back with gratitude
look around with pride and
and look forward with purpose.

For the Maldives, the decision to join the United Nations was such a moment.
It was not a mere symbolic gesture.
It was a declaration of faith in the power of collective action and shared responsibility.
We were a newly independent island nation, small in size but rich in spirit, stepping into the international community uncertain, but with confidence and hope.

Our membership in the UN is a reaffirmation that even the smallest of nations can, and must, have a voice, must have a say, in shaping a fairer and safer world.

Over the past six decades, the story of the Maldives and the United Nations has been one of partnership and progress.
The support of the United Nations has been woven into our national development journey.

We were just the third country to graduate from Least Developed Country status.

As a Small Island Developing State, we have used our voice to champion issues that define our very existence: climate action, human rights and sustainable development.

Today, the Maldives is proud to serve as Vice President of both the UN General Assembly and the Human Rights Council – responsibilities we undertake with humility and resolve, to contribute constructively to a stronger multilateral system. Together, we have moved leaps and bounds on human development, on health, and education. We have improved our governance systems and embraced democratic norms. Our conviction is clear. International law and a rules-based international order are essential for justice, equality and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

The principles of the UN Charter must be upheld universally and without exception. But principles mean little without purpose. So let us renew, on this UN Day, our dedication to maintaining international peace and security, achieving sustainable development, protecting human rights, and advancing social progress. Let us also recommit to multilateralism – because global challenges demand global solutions. And in an interdependent world, no nation can stand alone.

For the Maldives, the United Nations remains indispensable: a guarantor of our sovereignty, a platform for our voice and a trusted partner in our progress. Our journey in the UN proves that when nations work together, size is no barrier to impact, and geography has no limit to ambition.

As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Maldives Membership in the United Nations, and the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, we do so with gratitude for the past, pride in our progress, and purpose for the future. May the United Nations continue to be humanity’s greatest hope, guiding us towards a brighter, peaceful and prosperous world.

I thank you.