The Minister of Foreign Affairs echoed many leaders and her counterparts, in calling for urgent action to address climate change at the UN today. The Foreign Minister made these remarks during her address at the annual general debate of the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
With just two months away from COP21, the highly anticipated climate change negotiations, the Foreign Minister underscored the need for everyone to play their part in the lead up to Paris and beyond. “We are reducing our emissions. We are working, in good faith, towards a legally binding agreement in Paris this year. And if we, the smallest can act, why can’t the biggest?”, the Foreign Minister asked.
The Foreign Minister further stressed that “Maldives is ready to act. We have always been the first in line.” The Maldives has long been a strong advocate on climate change issues. The first ever Small States Conference was hosted by the Maldives in 1990, and was the platform where Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) was formed. AOSIS is a coalition of 44 Small Island Developing States and is the main negotiating voice for small island developing States (SIDS) within the United Nations system. The Maldives is the current chair of AOSIS.
