President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has called on developed countries to fulfil their climate finance obligations and urged reforms to the international financial system to better address the vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Delivering the Maldives’ National Statement at the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, the President outlined three urgent priorities requiring collective international action: climate finance, financial system reform and implementation.
On climate finance, Muizzu said developed countries must honour their obligations, stressing that funding must be new, additional, predictable and grant-based. He also called for the replenishment of the Green Climate Fund, the capitalisation of the Adaptation Fund and adequate resources for the Loss and Damage Fund.
“We cannot be expected to borrow our way out of a crisis we did little to create. Resilience must not come at the cost of unsustainable debt,” he said.
Addressing the need for financial reforms, the President said the international financial architecture must recognise the unique vulnerabilities of Small Island Developing States. He called on international financial institutions and credit rating agencies to change how climate investments are assessed, arguing that resilience should be treated as an investment in the collective future rather than a financial liability.
On implementation, Muizzu highlighted the Maldives’ efforts to strengthen food, energy and water security through the strategic use of limited domestic and international resources.
He said the country was on track to achieve its renewable energy targets by expanding clean energy across its islands and had made progress in improving access to climate finance.
The President also highlighted the accreditation of the Maldives’ first national direct access entity by the Green Climate Fund last month, describing it as a first for an Asian Small Island Developing State. He said the achievement demonstrated the country’s institutional readiness to access and deliver climate finance.
“Ambition without implementation is merely a promise,” Muizzu said, emphasising the need for financing, technology transfer and political commitment to translate international pledges into measurable progress.
He further stressed that Small Island Developing States must be empowered to determine their own development pathways.
“The Maldives is not asking for sympathy. We are calling for justice, responsibility and action to fulfil obligations under international treaties and abide by commitments,” he said.
Concluding his statement, the President called on COP31 to demonstrate that multilateral cooperation could deliver meaningful results beyond promises, benefiting people, islands and future generations.
He also thanked Türkiye for its hospitality and expressed the Maldives’ commitment to supporting a successful COP31, while commending Brazil for its leadership during COP30.
