Maldives calls for debt relief and climate action at UN meeting

Maldivian Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has reaffirmed the nation’s support for China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI) during a high-level meeting at the 81st United Nations General Assembly.

Latheef emphasized that unsustainable debt currently prevents developing nations from investing in necessary resilience measures. He also warned that climate change poses a significant threat to development gains, particularly for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), and urged that COP31 translate existing climate commitments into meaningful action.

To drive sustainable development, the Vice President called for increased international cooperation regarding science, technology, and artificial intelligence, specifically focusing on technology transfer, capacity-building, and knowledge-sharing.