President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has stated the shared vision and unity of the small member states ensure the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) is loud and a powerful force for change. He made the statement while speaking at the AOSIS Leaders' Summit 2021, held online on the margins of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York City.
At the summit, President Solih said all AOSIS member states have an extensive track record of advocating for sustainable development to address climate change, among other unique vulnerabilities faced by Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The president noted the COVID-19 pandemic had demonstrated SIDS susceptibility to external shocks, revealing the economic contraction experienced by the Maldives following the prolonged shut down of global travel. He strongly urged multilateral collaboration to diversify SIDS economies and build sustainable climate resilience through financial assistance, technology transfer, and capacity-building.
President Solih also discussed marine pollution and the momentum that AOSIS could build leading up to the COP26 conference. He expressed his confidence that the Leader's Declaration, adopted at the summit, would demonstrate the urgency of these issues and the need for global support from developed countries, international financial institutions, the private sector, and civil society.
The Maldives spearheaded efforts to form the intergovernmental organisation following the first-ever Small States Conference held in the Maldives in November 1989. AOSIS was founded in 1990 during the Second World Climate Conference in Geneva and comprises low-lying coastal and small island countries. AOSIS is a key advocate for SIDS and international environmental policy, with a particular focus on global climate change.