Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has outlined three priorities for building resilient partnerships among Commonwealth nations, addressing the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Antigua and Barbuda.
Speaking at Executive Session II in St John’s, the Vice President identified strengthening institutional capacity and empowering people, respecting national priorities and promoting self-reliance, and turning shared challenges into collective action as key areas for cooperation.
He stressed the importance of building lasting institutional capacity beyond immediate needs, while ensuring that partnerships respect national interests and allow each member state to determine its own development path.
He also called for stronger collaboration through the sharing of expertise, practical support and joint solutions to challenges ranging from climate resilience to digital transformation.
"A stronger Commonwealth is one that enables every nation to build on its own strengths," he said.
The Vice President reaffirmed the Maldives’ ambition to become a developed nation by 2040, highlighting the Government’s targets of developing a digital economy that contributes 15 per cent of GDP by 2030 and generating 33 per cent of the country’s energy from renewable sources by 2028.
Describing these targets as part of President Dr Mohamed Muizzu’s vision for a more resilient Maldives, he said people, particularly young people, were both the driving force and beneficiaries of national development.
He emphasised that investing in their skills, knowledge and opportunities was essential to realising the country’s development ambitions.
The Vice President also highlighted the impact of external challenges, including global supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty, on countries’ ability to invest and achieve long-term development goals.
He said the Commonwealth had an important role to play in supporting national development efforts through partnerships that strengthen resilience and enable member states to respond collectively to shared challenges.