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Current UN traditions disadvantage small nations: Maldives

Maldives has expressed that the current traditions of United Nations leave the small nations at a disadvantage. During a statement on Plenary under Agenda Item 121 - Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations Farzana Zahir stated that the traditions of the United Nations need to be altered for everyone's advantage.

She stated that every country regardless of their size, their might, or most certainly how much they spend on their campaign, deserve a fair chance to serve on the charter bodies and other organs of the United Nations.

Continuing on, she affirmed that Maldives supports the consideration of the potential concept and scope of conduct to guide the conduct of election campaigns by member states, with a view to improving standards of transparency, accountability and equity, adding that the same standards of transparency, fairness, and accountability, is expected in domestic elections which must be observed at the United Nations.

Deputy Permanent Representative Farzana Zahir said that these considerations ensure the election of the best person for the best job, but also ensure that Maldives upholds the principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

She recommended that the General Assembly can become a more effective organisation through enhancing coherence between the Committees of the General Assembly, as well as between the work of the General Assembly and the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), as well as the Security Council.

On conclusion, she said that Maldives believes in the promise of the United Nations; the beauty of multilateralism.