Maldives president seeks an end to Gaza war, more dynamic multilateral system

Seeking an end to the war in Gaza and full membership of the UN for Palestine, the Maldives President, Mohamed Muizzu, exhorted the international community at the UN Summit of the Future to ensure that multilateralism was not just about passing resolutions that gathered dust but a dynamic force that would shape lives in real-time.
Muizzu, who addressed the summit on Sunday, said it was high time the multilateral system started to produce tangible results.
"Imagine a world where the United Nations is no longer an ivory tower: distant, remote, and inaccessible… for decades, at the United Nations we’ve have been crafting visions. Yet, they often remain unrealized," said Muizzu, adding that it is time to turn the page to a chapter where multilateralism is more than a concept, but a lived reality.
To achieve that, he proposed empowering young people, combating climate change and financing that could turn aspirations into reality.
"The SDG financing and investment gap stands between 2.5 to 4 trillion US dollars annually. The system that was meant to balance scales, has now been tilted. The Maldives knows this pain first-hand," said the president, who is expected to visit India soon.
"We need adequate, predictable, / and sustainable, development and climate financing. It’s time for a financial system that listens to everyone. And works for everyone. Future generations will judge our legacy not by the processes we initiate but by the concrete actions we take," he added.
Calling for a system that delivers, Muizzu said the future generations will demand a system that delivers.
"A world where every challenge is met with courage. Courage to halt the genocidal war in Gaza. Courage to grant the State of Palestine, full membership of the United Nations. Courage to hold perpetrators of human rights accountable. Where the UN is closer to the people, listens to the people," he said, calling for a future that is defined by equity and innovation. The Maldives co-sponsored the resolution to support the admission of the State of Palestine as a full member state of the United Nations which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in May.
Muizzu said that climate anxiety is not a hypothetical concern as it affects nearly
62 percent of youth globally. He called upon the Summit to honour previous commitments on climate adaptation and mitigation, on loss and damage and on the protection of our oceans and marine resources.
"The Maldives is committed to achieving a net-zero, climate resilient future," he said.