Introductory Remarks by Mariyam Midhfa Naeem, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the UNSDCF 2027-2031 Steering Committee Meeting

"This is, in many ways, a defining moment both for the Maldives and the UN development system itself."

UN Resident Coordinator, Excellencies, and Colleagues,

Good morning to you all.

At the outset, I wish to thank UN Resident Coordinator's Office, the Country Team, and all partner agencies for the commitment you have brought to this process.

Today, we gather here to make a choice…

On how we respond to the changing world.
On how we approach to development.
On how we scale our collective response.

Because this is, in many ways, a defining moment both for the Maldives, and the UN development system itself.

In the Maldives, we are facing a set of competing pressures.

An ageing population versus a growing youth bulge
Climate resilience versus rising demands for housing and development
A financing environment shaped by defence and security versus sustainability and long-term resilience

And in the UN, reforms are already underway.
Expanding mandate expectations versus tightened resources
Integrated UN system versus coherence-focused reforms
Delivery expectations vs streamlined approaches

These are interconnected realities. Each shaping and reinforcing the other. And it is for this reason that we cannot afford to work in silos.

The draft UNSDCF before us is how we translate this into action.

What we need is a framework that does not stop thinking.

That bridge is ABAS. Long-term national development priorities. And continuity beyond global cycles and shifting agendas.

What we need is a framework that reflects lived realities, that defines development and challenges as we do.

One that brings debt, climate, and structural vulnerabilities at the forefront.

And for that, the context must be clear, and the data must be credible.

But in doing so, we must not lose sight of the other side of the story. T

The progress we have made in resilience, ocean governance, sustainable tourism and digital transformation.

At the same time, we must be clear-eyed about the implementation and financing gap that shape our development efforts.

Closing those gaps will take innovation in partnership, and alignment between ambitions and the resources to deliver them.

UNSDCF must not be an end point. It must be a starting point for how UN can better support our shared priorities.

And if it is to succeed, it will require more than alignment.

It will require leadership that is willing to think differently, across mandates, iinstitutions, and across the traditional boundaries of how we have always done things.

Because the challenges we face are not linear, and our response cannot be either.

It will require us to prioritise what matters most. Discipline to stay focused on results. And partnership that is transformative.

That is the spirit in which we must approach this Framework.

Before I conclude, I wish to invite all partners to share their written comments, so that together we can shape a UNSDCF that reflects the Maldives context, priorities, and aspirations.

I wish to also take this opportunity to thank the UN Resident Coordinator's Office, the Country Team, and all partners for your continued support, engagement, and commitment to this process.