25 October 2016, New York: At the United Nations General Assembly, the Maldives highlighted today the importance of realising the right to sovereignty over natural resources, for the implementation of of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The emphasis was made during its statement at the annual debate of the Economic and Financial Committee, on the permanent sovereignty of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and of the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan over their natural resources.
The Maldives also reaffirmed its continued support for the rights of Palestine, including the need for a two-state solution, as a fundamental step towards safeguarding the human rights of the Palestinian people and finally providing them with the right to self-determination.
The debate takes place within the context of evidence presented in this year's report of the Secretary General on continued practises of segregation and discrimination which remain rampant, including in the allocation of water, provision of access to land, movement, and access to legal system. Over 76,000 people remain displaced in the Gaza strip, as a result of the 2014 offensive, with the destruction of homes and lielihood structures continuing with more than 300 structures destroyed in the first two months of 2016 alone. Land confiscation, inadequate basic services such as electricity, water, sanitation and hygiene, with the on-going blockade of Gaza Strip since 2007, are making the conditions worse.
The statement was delivered by Ms Aishath Huma, Second Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Maldives to the United Nations.
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