During the annual general debate of the Second Committee, the Maldives set out its priorities for the current session of the General Assembly, that will lay the groundwork for the crucial agreements to be reached in 2015 on climate change and the Post-2015 Development Agenda.
Referring to the recently held Third International Conference on SIDS in Samoa, the Maldives argued that SIDS face unique challenges in striving for sustainable development, as clearly seen from the Maldives experience. Though the country graduated from LDC status in 2011, “the inherent structural challenges of being an archipelago of small, low-lying and remote islands remain". Therefore, the Maldives expects the Secretary General's comprehensive review of the UN system support to SIDS would enhance its overall effectiveness and the respective roles in supporting SIDS sustainable development.
Noting that sustainable development for the country is inherently related to oceans and climate change, the Maldives welcomed the stand-alone goal on Oceans in the Open Working Group's proposal on Sustainable Development Goals. The Maldives further argued that the way forward would be a transparent, inclusive and cohesive intergovernmental process, maintaining the open spirit of the Open Working Group, that will work to make the international community's approach towards sustainable development more dependable, consistent, integrated, and ambitious with a renewed global partnership.
Welcoming the Secretary General's Climate Summit, the Maldives asserted that ambitious global action on climate change is a prerequisite for sustainable development. The Maldives hoped that commitments would be met with full realization of the pledges made by the emitting countries.
On behalf of the Maldives delegation to the 69th Session, the statement was delivered by Hassan Hussain Shihab, First Secretary at the Maldives Mission to the United Nations.
