Rising sea levels caused by global climate change must never compromise the internationally recognised statehood, sovereignty, or maritime baselines of low-lying island nations, Vice President Uz. Hussain Mohamed Latheef declared on behalf of the Maldives at the United Nations today. Delivering the national statement at the High-Level Plenary Meeting on Addressing the Existential Threats Posed by Sea Level Rise, held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, the Vice President affirmed that territorial integrity and legal rights must remain permanent regardless of physical geographical changes.
Emphasising that retreat is not a viable strategy in the face of escalating marine hazards, Vice President Latheef stressed that building climate resilience must be the primary focus for vulnerable countries. He warned that rising sea levels directly undermine critical infrastructure, livelihoods, and foundational economic pillars across Small Island Developing States (SIDS), calling on the global community to safeguard nations' status and UN membership under international legal conventions.
Recalling nearly four decades of climate advocacy, the Vice President noted that the Maldives first brought sea level rise to the attention of the UN General Assembly during the landmark 1989 Male Declaration on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise. He observed that what was once flagged as an impending danger has now transformed into an urgent and existential emergency that demands concrete, accelerated interventions across multilateral platforms.
To effectively confront these climate threats, the Vice President urged international partners to deliver predictable, accessible, and grant-based climate adaptation finance on concessional terms. He emphasised the necessity of prompt disbursements and highlighted the importance of establishing a specialised international monitoring mechanism to measure sea level rise, stating that the global community cannot manage or resolve what it fails to accurately track.
Concluding his address, Vice President Latheef reaffirmed that the Maldives is already integrating climate resilience into its core national planning through its third Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), from infrastructure designs to comprehensive economic blueprints. He urged world leaders to translate climate promises into decisive action, calling for enhanced international partnerships to strengthen resilience and ensure the long-term survival of island states.