Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Maldives, and the new President of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), Abdulla Shahid has stated his aim is to restore hope for the world during these difficult times.
In an interview with UN News, Minister Shahid said hope is desperately needed for those billions around the world struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic, devastation, and strife. Shahid said the UNGA, as the UN’s most representative body with representatives from 193 countries, is ideally placed to give shape to that hope. He added that on issues such as climate change and equitable access to vaccines, he would never give up hope that humanity will rise to the occasion.
During the interview, Shahid said his priorities for the coming year include leading by example to help the UN reach the “gold standard” on issues such as gender equality. He said that means participating on panels with equal numbers of women and pushing for a more family-friendly UN, for mothers who are breast-feeding or taking care of small children. He reiterated the importance of multilateral cooperation and the idea that global challenges require unified global action.
Speaking on the issue of climate change, Minister Shahid noted the 76th session of UNGA coincides with several major conferences on climate change and environment, including the COP26 and the three major conferences from the treaties of Rio, the COP on biodiversity, COP on deforestation and COP on the high-level energy dialogue, as well as the Ocean conference. Noting all these major conferences are going to build a lot of momentum during this forthcoming session of UNGA, Shahid said he intends to use his convening power as president to bring the international community together.
Speaking further, Shahid said he understands there would be divisions, difference of opinions and positions on issues amongst countries. However, he said he was confident that issues can be solved through dialogue, adding it is important to find opportunity to sit down, put all views across to each other and then come out with resolution of issues.
Speaking on his decision to run for UNGA presidency, Shahid said it was the one opportunity to make a difference and one opportunity where a small country like the Maldives could make a difference. He added it is a great honour and privilege for the Maldivian people to have a Maldivian preside over the General Assembly.
Maldives won the presidency of the UNGA at the elections held at the UN Headquarters in New York on June 7. Minister Shahid, the Maldivian candidate, won the election with 143 votes out of a total of 191 votes cast. The victory meant Shahid will be the sixth president from a small island developing state, presiding over the UNGA.