Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef has said rising sea levels will not erase the Maldives’ statehood, sovereignty or maritime rights, calling for stronger international action to help vulnerable island nations adapt to the effects of climate change.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly’s high-level meeting on addressing the existential threats posed by sea-level rise, the Vice President said climate change was not simply an environmental concern for the Maldives, but an issue affecting its development, infrastructure, livelihoods and national sovereignty.
“For SIDS, rising seas affect infrastructure, tourism, fisheries, ecosystems and development itself,” he said, referring to Small Island Developing States.
The Vice President said the Maldives’ response to rising seas must be based on resilience rather than retreat, outlining three areas where international action is needed: adaptation finance, legal certainty and resilient development.
He called for climate adaptation finance to be provided at scale, saying support for Small Island Developing States must be predictable, accessible, grant-based and concessional.
For the Maldives and other low-lying island states, he said funding must arrive early enough to reduce risks associated with rising seas.
The Vice President also stressed the need for a sea-level rise observation mechanism, saying that the international community cannot address what it cannot measure.
On the question of sovereignty and international law, he said rising sea levels must not undermine the rights and entitlements of states.
“Statehood and sovereignty cannot be challenged by sea level rise. UN membership must continue,” he said.
He added that lawfully established baselines and maritime zones must remain stable despite changes caused by rising seas.
“Geography may change. Legal identity must not,” the Vice President said.
He also said climate resilience must be incorporated into national development planning, including infrastructure design, economic planning and the protection of livelihoods.
The Maldives is already integrating such measures into national planning through its third Nationally Determined Contribution, he said, while calling on development partners to support countries in scaling up climate-resilient investments.
The Vice President’s remarks build on the Maldives’ longstanding position that climate change poses risks not only to the physical environment but also to the rights and sovereignty of vulnerable island states.
The Vice President also stressed that resilience requires adequate financial support, calling for climate finance to reach vulnerable countries at the necessary scale, speed and terms. The Maldives’ broader call for greater climate finance can be read here.
In June, while speaking at the Berlin Climate Mobility Forum, Latheef said sea-level rise was already shaping the Maldives’ development planning, infrastructure investments and long-term national priorities. He said the impacts posed questions over the future of communities, territories, livelihoods and the rights of Maldivians.
He also stressed at the time that climate change does not diminish the fundamental rights of states and peoples under international law, reaffirming the Maldives’ position that statehood and sovereignty must be protected despite the effects of sea-level rise.
The Maldives has maintained that climate change is a major development and foreign-policy concern, noting that the country contributes less than 0.01 percent of global carbon emissions while facing disproportionate impacts from climate change.
The Vice President’s statement came during a UN high-level meeting specifically convened to address the threats posed by sea-level rise. The meeting focused on strengthening international cooperation and developing actionable commitments to protect vulnerable states and coastal communities.
Concluding his statement, Latheef called for the international community to turn its commitments into action that strengthens resilience and safeguards the future of countries threatened by rising seas.
