Vice President Faisal Naseem has called for united efforts and strengthened partnerships to safeguard the resilience and security of the Indian Ocean region. He made the remarks speaking as the Guest of Honour at the inaugural session of the Fifth Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) 2021. The two-day conference kicked off in Abu Dhabi, UAE, under the theme Indian Ocean: Ecology, Economy and Epidemic.
Addressing the delegates, Vice President Naseem emphasised the Maldives accords high priority to the security of the region, with the Indian Ocean being an important trading hub directly connected to the economic well-being. The vice president noted that the ever-growing threats of trans-border terrorism, piracy, narco-trafficking as well as non-traditional security threats such as climate change, cyber security and human trafficking, all require the support and cooperation of all regional and international partners. He also briefed the delegates on the current COVID-19 situation in the Maldives and said that the Maldives has been able to open its borders to tourists and attain some degree of normalcy. He noted that this could not have been achieved without the country's well-planned health regulations and robust vaccination campaign.
On the topic of meeting the goals of the United Nations Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, Vice President Naseem stressed the importance of ramping up efforts to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. He also touched on the topic of climate change and the outcomes of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) and said the Maldives, alongside other small island states, face the brunt of the devastating consequences of climate change.
Concluding his remarks, the vice president called on the rest of the world to take action, stressing that their shared future depends on it.