Male’, Maldives – The President of Maldives, Ibrahim Mohamed Solih particiapates in the 2020 Paris Peace Forum held by France.
The Paris Peace Forum is a place where the heads of State and international organizations meet the civil society and private sector to find new ways of collective actions.
This year, the Paris Peace Forum was held digitally due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. It was held on November 11 and 12 where the global community came together to outline the priorities each country has for a post Covid-19 world.
According to the President’s Office, President Solih spoke on behalf of small island states during the conference to ask the international community to be more aware of the island’s vulnerabilities.
While speaking, President Solih highlighted that the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has showcased certain vulnerabilities of the islands and that, this is a reason why it is very important for the international community to build an international order that is just and beneficial to all nations.
The President further noted that due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the economy of Maldives has been severely impacted as the country solely depends on its tourism sector. Although the country has gradually eased several restrictions now, President Solih mentioned that it will still take time for the economy to fully recover from the loss.
He further mentioned that until then, Maldives will need the assistance of the international community in terms of finance, technical and debt relief to strengthen the economy back again.
The President also highlighted a very important topic in the conference. He said that while the pandemic is bound to end in a year or two, the threat of the climate issues would still remain. President Solih urged the international community to help on the climate issues that are faced by the islands.
In the end, the President encouraged everyone to acknowledge the lessons that the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has taught us and to work together to “leave future generations a world that is sustainable and in balance with nature” because that “is the only way in which we can truly build for the future.”
