In a response to remarks made by former President Abdulla Yameen regarding President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s recent address at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Minister of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology, Thoriq Ibrahim, took to social media to defend the current president’s efforts in multilateral diplomacy.
Minister Thoriq emphasized that during President Yameen’s five-year tenure, he consistently chose not to attend the annual UNGA sessions, neglecting opportunities to represent the Maldives on the global stage. “In 2015, when world leaders came together for the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) and the Paris Agreement, the former president Yameen was absent. And he remained absent throughout his tenure,” Thoriq tweeted, further criticizing Yameen’s disengagement from international platforms during critical moments for global cooperation.
The tweet comes after Yameen dismissed President Muizzu’s statements at the UN, calling them “empty words” that would yield no tangible results. The former president criticized Muizzu’s call to abolish the veto power held by permanent members of the UN Security Council, implying that such proposals were unrealistic and outside the Maldives’ scope of influence.
Minister Thoriq, however, praised President Muizzu’s participation at the UN as a reflection of strong leadership and the country’s commitment to global cooperation. “Leaders are supposed to represent and advance positions and priorities that are in the best interest of their people. Not recoil and disengage from the global stage. And that is exactly what President Yameen did. He withdrew from the global community and isolated the Maldives from the world,” Thoriq noted.
Highlighting President Muizzu’s historic address at the UNSC, the first by any Maldivian head of state since the country joined the United Nations 59 years ago, Minister Thoriq lauded his bold stance on global issues such as climate change, justice, and Security Council reforms. “We may be a small country. But under President Dr. Muizzu, we are determined to fight for a better future for all,” he stated, reinforcing the idea that even small nations like the Maldives have a vital role to play on the international stage.
During his visit to the UNGA, President Muizzu also participated in several high-level meetings and sideline events, where he reiterated the Maldives’ commitment to addressing climate change, renewable energy development, and other socio-economic challenges.
