The delegation of the United Nations Permanent Representatives attending the third edition of the Ambassadorial Workshop has called on the President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom. During the call, President Abdulla Yameen briefed the visiting delegation of the United Nations Permanent Representatives from various countries, on the current political situation, the development of Maldives and the policies of the administration for attaining sustainable development.
The President welcomed the delegation to the Maldives and emphasised the sustainable practices adopted by the administration in planning and implementing its development agenda. In this regard, discussions were held in the areas of fisheries, tourism, energy and matters of mutual interest in international fora. Continuing on, President Yameen noted the administration has doubled the value of per capita income over the last four years, noting the positive economic outlook of the country.
The President reiterated his commitment to comply with the wishes and aspirations of the people and underscored the Maldives has graduated from the category of Least Developed Countries in 2011, to Middle Income Country status, having achieved 5 of the 8 Millennium Development Goals. During the meeting, President Yameen shared with the Permanent Representatives the many factors including climate change, geography and culture that present continuous challenges to the progress and development of the Maldives.
The President further emphasised despite size, geographical location or extent of development, all countries must share a common understanding to be mindful of differences unique to each country and exercise mutual respect towards each other.
Speaking at the meeting, the delegation of Permanent Representatives commended the remarkable strides the Maldives have achieved towards attaining sustainable development and in creating a resilient economy. The delegation also agreed with the President that as a Small Island Developing State, the Maldives faces a myriad of challenges. The permanent representatives pledged the support to Maldives in both bilateral and multilateral issues of common concern.