Maldives President meets foreign leaders at COP31, calls for greater climate support

President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has held bilateral meetings with several foreign leaders and international representatives on the sidelines of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.

Among those he met were Prime Minister Gaston Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley of Barbados, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman of Bangladesh and President of the World Bank Group Ajay Banga. He also met Ruslan Edelgeriyev, Aide to the President of the Russian Federation and Special Presidential Representative for Climate and Water Resources.

Further meetings reported on Thursday included discussions with President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud of Somalia, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of Pakistan and former King of Malaysia, Sultan Abdullah of Pahang, who was accompanied by his wife, Tunku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah.

The meetings took place during President Muizzu's official visit to Türkiye from 10 to 14 November, where he is attending COP31 alongside First Lady Sajidha Mohamed and a high-level Maldivian delegation.

During the summit, President Muizzu delivered the Maldives' National Statement, calling on the international community to fulfil its climate commitments, reform the global financial system and translate political pledges into tangible action.

He outlined three priorities for global climate action: adequate financing, financial reform and effective implementation.

He called for climate funding to be new, additional, predictable and grant-based, while urging the replenishment of the Green Climate Fund and adequate funding for the Adaptation Fund and the Loss and Damage Fund.

The President also stressed that vulnerable countries, particularly Small Island Developing States (SIDS), should not be forced to take on additional debt to address a climate crisis they have contributed little to creating.

He called for international financial institutions and credit rating agencies to better recognise the vulnerabilities of SIDS and account for the value of investments in climate resilience.

At a separate high-level event titled "Early Warnings for All: Delivering on Our Promise to Protect Everyone", President Muizzu highlighted the importance of strengthening early warning systems to protect communities from climate-related disasters.

He noted that approximately 80 per cent of the Maldives' islands are less than one metre above sea level, while nearly half of the country's population lives within 100 metres of the coast.

Rising sea levels, coastal erosion, flooding, storm surges and changing weather patterns continue to threaten communities, infrastructure, tourism and fisheries.

The President said the Maldives was the first country in Asia and the first Small Island Developing State to endorse a national strategic roadmap under the Early Warnings for All initiative.

Endorsed by the Cabinet in 2023, the roadmap contains 85 activities across the initiative's four pillars.

He called for a more ambitious programme beyond 2027, with greater investment in weather forecasting, reliable communication networks, community preparedness and the effective delivery of warnings to vulnerable communities.

President Muizzu also called on developed countries, development banks, climate funds and international institutions to provide increased financial and technical assistance, including grants, concessional financing, technology transfer and capacity-building.

At another high-level dialogue on clean energy transition and electrification, the President called for affordable financing, technology access and investment in energy infrastructure to accelerate the Maldives' transition to renewable energy.

He highlighted the country's target of generating 33 per cent of its electricity from renewable sources and said substantial investment in renewable energy generation and storage systems would be needed to achieve it, particularly given the geographical spread of the islands and the country's dependence on imported fuel.

COP31, which is being held in Antalya from 9 to 20 November, brings together world leaders, government representatives, climate experts, businesses and civil society organisations to discuss international climate action and cooperation.