Bismillah-ah-Rahman-ah-raheem,

.އަޅުގަނޑުގެ އެންމެ އިސް ވާޖިބަކީ އަރަހުށި ހުސްޠާހިރުވަންތަ  الله سبحانه وتعالى ގެ މަތިވެރި  ޙަޟްރަތަށް  حمد ثناء އާއި شكر ދެންނެވުން. އަދި މާތް ނަބިއްޔާ محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم އާއި އެކަލޭގެފާނުގެ އާލުންނާއި އަޞްޙާބުންނަށް ޞަލަވާތާއި ސަލާމާއި ބަރަކާތް ލެއްވުން އެދި ދުޢާ ކުރުން

‎.އަޅުގަނޑުމެންގެ ލޮބުވެތި ދިވެހި ރާއްޖެއަކީ ބައިމަދު، ކުޑަ، ޖަޒީރާ ޤައުމެއް. ނަމަވެސް ބައިނަލް އަޤްވާމީ ޤާނޫނުތަކާއި ހަމައާއި އިންސާފާ ސުލްޙަ އާއި ހަމަޖެހުމަށް ލޯބިކުރާ މިނިވަން ދިދައެއްގެ ހިޔާދަށުގައިވާ ފަޚުރުވެރި ޤައުމެއް

.‎ދުނިޔޭގެ އެންމެހާ ޤައުމުތައް ޝާމިލުވާ މި އެކުވެރި ދައުލަތްތަކުގެ 76 ވަނަ ޢާންމު މަޖިލީހުގެ ރައީސް ކަމުގެ މަޤާމު ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތަކަށް ލިބުނުކަމީ ރާއްޖޭގެ ޢިއްޒަތްތެރި ރައީސުލް ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ އިބްރާހީމް މުހަންމަދު ޞާލިޙްގެ ހަރުދަނާ ޚާރިޖީ ސިޔާސަތުގެ ނަތީޖާ. ދުނިޔޭގެ ޤައުމުތަކުގެ އިތުބާރާއި ޔަޤީންކަން  މިއަދު ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުން ހޯދާފައިވާ ކަމުގެ ފުރިހަމަ ހެކި

.‎މިވޭތުވެދިޔަ އެއްއަހަރު ބައިނަލް އަޤްވާމީ މި ވަރުގަދަ ކިއްލާގެ އެންމެ އުސް ކުންނުގައި ވިހުރުވެމުން ދިޔައީ ފެއްސާއި, ރަތާއި ހުދާ އެކީ ފެނުމުން ދިވެހިން ސަލާމް ކުރަމުން މިގެންދާ ފަޚުރުވެރި ދިދަ

‎.ދިވެހި ރައްޔިތުންގެ ފަރާތުން އަޅުގަނޑު އދ އަށް ގެނެސްދިނީ އުންމީދުގެ ރިޔާސަތެއް

‎.ދުނިޔޭގެ ޤައުމުތައް އެއް އަޑަކުން ކިޔަމުން އެދަނީ ދިވެހި ރާއްޖެއިން މިގެނައި އުންމީދުގެ ސިއްރުން އުންމީދު އުފައްދައިފިޔެ މުޅިދޭހަށަ ރަމްޒުން. އިރު އޭގެ ޝުޢާއަށް  އިވުނޭ ބުނިއަޑު ސިއްރުން ދިރުވާށެ ހަވީރާ ހެނދުނާ ރީތި މިސާލުން

Translation

In the name of Allah, the most gracious and merciful.

I thank Almighty Allah (Subhaanahu Wa-Ta’ala).

Peace be upon His Messenger Mohammed (Sallalahu Alaihi-wa-Sallam) and his Companions.

My beloved country, the Maldives, is a small, island nation with a small population. But a country that respects international law, fairness, justice, peace, and security. A country that is proudly independent under our own flag.

The fact that a Maldivian national presided over the 76th session of this universal body of the United Nations, is the result of the robust foreign policy of President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Proof that Maldivians have earned the respect and trust of the international community.

This past year, the Maldivian flag of red, green and white, which all Maldivians salute and greet on sight, has flown at the highest point of this strong fort of the international community.

On behalf of all Maldivians, I brought to the United Nations, a Presidency of Hope.

And the international community is saying in unison, that the hope brought by Maldives has given hope to the entire world. The rays of hope have enriched the mornings and evenings with their light.

Mr Secretary General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I stand before you today, speaking to you for one final time as the President of the General Assembly.

And while I have generally spoken for about 7 minutes on average from this podium, I apologise in advance that this one might be a tad bit longer.

We started this journey a year ago…promising a Presidency of Hope that delivers for people, for the planet, and for prosperity.

Today, my friends, we complete that journey…

…a journey of unprecedented challenges, and triumphs.

A journey of twists and turns, but also of laughter and friendship.

A journey of renewed hope.

A journey we would not have been able to make, without the support, the friendship, and the guidance of all Member States.

I thank you, dear Ambassadors. You made me feel like part of the family from day one. Despite the difficult times we have endured, we have celebrated many occasions over the past year. We celebrated unity, camaraderie, and hope, together, as a family.

Excellencies,

The Charter of the United Nations has always guided my work. Its first three words, “We, the Peoples”, my inspiration.

The people of the world do not differentiate between the charter bodies, the funds and programmes and specialised agencies. For them, we all represent the One United Nations.

Which is why, I truly appreciate the close working relationship I had with the leadership of the Charter Bodies over this past year.

Mr Secretary General,

It has truly been a pleasure and an honour to work with you. I have greatly benefitted from your incredible experience, and extraordinary friendship.

Six days ago, we had our last coordination meeting. I am saddened that that was the last of our year-long meetings and interactions.

Through those meetings, I came to appreciate the statesman extraordinaire that you are. But I also came to know a realist, a pragmatist, a diplomat, and a silent negotiator who cares beyond measure. A person with a great sense of humour. A true friend. Thank you, dear Antonio.

Madam Deputy Secretary General, My dear sister Amina,

I remain in awe of your strength, compassion, and commitment. I have greatly valued your wise counsel and your kind friendship. Thank you, my dear Amina.

My dear friend Collen Kellapille, President of the Economic and Social Council at its 2022 session.

Working together, we managed to further enhance the coordination between the ECOSOC and the General Assembly. And deliver several joint initiatives. I thank you, dear Collen.

To the various Presidents of the Security Council – thank you for the close working relationship you maintained with the General Assembly. Our monthly coordination meetings were invaluable opportunities to remain updated on the issues that the Council was seized of.

My deepest gratitude to all my vice presidents. For being part of my team, in delivering my Presidency of Hope.

Despite the pandemic forcing us to work in hybrid fashion, I am incredibly proud that we finished the work of the regular part of the session on time, including adopting the budget. This would not have been possible without the steadfast leadership, and commitment of the committee chairs and their respective bureaus,

As a gender champion I am especially proud that we celebrated the first all-female bureau of a main committee during this session – Congratulations Ambassador Vanessa, the second committee has made history!

I am also indebted to the support extended to my Presidency by the various programmes and funds, and specialised agencies. Together we delivered on several mandates. 

Excellencies,

A Presidency is not just the person you see here at the rostrum. It is made up of several, often unsung heroes.

I thank Under Secretary General Movses Abelian and his team - Ruth, Kenji, all of you - for always having my back.

Whether it’s meetings or documents management, interpretation, translation or editing, protocol or intergovernmental meeting support, the team at DGACM has never let me down.

Over the last year, I delivered 325 statements – many of them pre-recorded. My special thanks to everyone at the Department of Global Communications and the team at the recording studio. I still cannot forget the day we managed to record 13 statements in one go!

My heartfelt appreciation to Andrey, Dwayne and Katalyn, and other officers from the UN Department of Safety and Security attached to my office. Thank you for your dedication and professionalism.

Thank you also, to my drivers pool, Dermot, Robert, Jimmy, and Evgeni. Rain, hail, or snow, you ensured that I made it on time, every time.

The Secretariat truly is the backbone of this organisation. Without the support of the various departments, I would not have been able to deliver. I thank each and every one of you for your contribution.

Excellencies,

I promised a Presidency of Hope. Built on Five Rays of Hope:

…Recovering from COVID-19

…Rebuilding Sustainably

…Responding to the Needs of the Planet

…Respecting the Rights of all

…and Revitalising the United Nations.

And every day, for the past 365 days, my team and I worked to deliver on this vision.

We convened 103 formal plenary meetings. And adopted 307 resolutions and 140 decisions.

We held 15 High Level Meetings, and a further 28 informal plenary meetings, hearings, thematic debates, and other events.

This included important discussions on Vaccine Equity, on sustainable recovery of the Tourism sector – the first time that tourism was ever discussed at a high level meeting of the General Assembly.

This included a Moment for Nature which for the first time looked at the crosscutting bottlenecks and solutions across the entire climate and environmental agenda.

We held the first International Migration Review Forum. Where we adopted the Progress Declaration by consensus.

We convened the first Commemoration of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech.

We held events on the Urban Agenda, on Food Security, on Climate Change, on Commodities, on Road Safety, on Africa – issues of critical importance for recovering sustainably and achieving the 2030 Agenda.

15 mandated intergovernmental negotiations processes took place, for which 27 co-facilitators or co-chairs were appointed. I thank all the Facilitators and their experts for the exceptional work that they delivered on my behalf.

We began the process of finalising the much-needed Multi-Dimensional Vulnerability Index for Small Island Developing States. I wish to thank Prime Minister Browne of Antigua and Barbuda, and former Prime Minister Solberg of Norway for accepting my request to lead this charge.

We agreed on ways to finance peacebuilding efforts.

I held over 650 meetings here in New York and during my travels – to gather ideas, to ensure wider consultation, and enhance coordination.

We opened up the General Assembly for in person participation of civil society for the first time after the pandemic.

I continued the practise of Morning Dialogues – or “Holhuashi Dialogues” as I called them. For the first time, we held a morning dialogue at the level of experts – focusing on women in diplomacy. This meeting became the springboard for the landmark resolution celebrating an International Day on Women in Diplomacy – an initiative I am incredibly proud of.

The morning dialogue on accessibility galvanised greater advocacy and awareness, including a workshop to delegates and Secretariat.

We witnessed the substantive role and moral authority of the General Assembly grow.

We held an emergency special session of the General Assembly – the first time in 40 years, on the request of the Security Council, to address the conflict in Ukraine.

The landmark resolution on the Veto Initiative, mandated a formal meeting of the General Assembly, every time a veto was cast in the Security Council, to debate the merits of that decision.

We also managed consensus on the outcome document of the trafficking in persons meeting, the review of the functioning of the reinvigorated resident coordinator system, and the oceans conference declaration.

Despite difficult times, we came together on issues of importance. A noteworthy example was the finalisation of the political declaration on road safety. 

Going forward, I am confident that we can come together on other issues as well.

Excellencies,

Often, the United Nations is criticised for its shortcomings and its inadequacies.

Rarely are our wins celebrated. This needs a course correction.

At the same time, we must acknowledge that there are many things we can do better.

I truly believe that “Our Common Agenda” Report sets us in the right direction.

At the beginning of the year, you entrusted me with following up on the recommendations of that report.

It was a responsibility I took to heart.

After five intense rounds of thematic consultations, that included more than 350 statements, 10 interactive multi-stakeholder panels, and over fifty panellists, I am proud that we came out successful.

I take this moment to thank the Vice Presidents who chaired these sessions on my behalf.

And I am so very proud, that within a record time we adopted the resolutions on establishing the Youth Office, and on the Modalities of the Summit of the Future. Congratulations to all of you.

These are the first important milestones towards realising a United Nations 2.0.

Excellencies,

During this session, we ensured that the gender-equality agenda was mainstreamed into all our discussions.

I reconvened, upgraded, and expanded the Advisory Board on Gender Equality.

We made the United Nations more family friendly by renovating and expanding lactation rooms.

We brought together female heads of State and Government during the high-level week. Held a focused discussion on violence against women in politics during CSW. And a special event on shaping economies that work for women during Stockholm+50.

We also launched the UNGA Platform of Women Leaders in partnership with UN Women. Institutionalising for the very first time in UN history the hosting of a dedicated meeting of female Heads of State and Government every year during the high-level week.

I kept my promise to not participate in panels that were not gender balanced.

I kept my promise to make my office gender balanced. 55% of my staff are women.

I started a podcast series that amplified the voices of women doing extraordinary work.

I met incredible and accomplished women, from victims to activists, from scientists to Nobel Laureates. And I worked to support their work and elevate their message.

Women should not have to work twice as hard, just to prove a point.

And while we are on the topic of gender equality, I reiterate my earlier call - Let us ensure that the next Secretary General of the United Nations is a woman.

Excellencies, 

There are 1.8 billion young people around the world today. And we cannot ignore them.

I truly believe that investment in youth is an investment in multilateralism. Which is why during my Presidency, I launched the PGA Fellowship for HOPE.

8 young diplomats from underrepresented countries had the opportunity to work with my Office, and in their Missions. Armed with new wisdom and experience, I am confident that these Fellows and future young Fellows, will work to advance their countries, and uphold the values of multilateralism.

I take this opportunity to thank all the Governments that supported the programme. We are also indebted to UNITAR for their support.

Today, I have also placed in my Office the “Voices of Youth – Time Capsule” carrying the voices of young people from around the world, describing their aspirations for 2045, when the UN turns 100. The time capsule will remain as a constant reminder of the importance of youth participation, and their aspirations. 

My advice to young people around the world has always been the same – stay determined, stay engaged, and stay hopeful.

This is also my advice to women, CSOs, internally displaced persons, refugees, indigenous groups and academia.

In all my travels, largely to countries where PGAs have never visited before, I made it a point to meet with these communities. To enrich the discussions, we have here in New York. To see first-hand, how our deliberations here, the resolutions we pass and the budgets we allocate, get translated into action.

And they are. Our actions within these august halls of the UN are impacting lives.

I applaud the UN Country Teams around the world for their work on the ground – for making a difference.

Dear friends. There are many untold success stories of the UN’s work around the world. We need to bring these here to New York and bring the UN closer to the people it is designed to serve. For a more effective, and more responsive United Nations.

Excellencies,

None of this would have been possible without my team at the OPGA.

My team of 73 came from 49 countries, representing all the regions of the world. We drew strength from this diversity.

My team is the largest to date in the history of the UN General Assembly.

I thank all the Member States, UN Departments and international organisations that seconded staff and provided funds for the Office.

The team was very ably led by my Chef de Cabinet, Ambassador Nagaraj Naidu Kakanur – a truly outstanding diplomat, a steady hand in crisis, committed and hardworking.

I also thank the Deputy Chefs de Cabinet –Saada Daher Hassan, Fernando Marani, and Midhfa Naeem. They are simply three of the most hardworking people I have come across. And always ready for a challenge.

Together, we endured triumphs and setbacks.

We not only mourned the loss of a very dear colleague and friend Gail, but also welcomed the arrival of little Mariam, born to my advisor El-Hadj and his wife, Abeidy.

I am incredibly proud of everything OPGA76 – my team – has achieved during this year. And I thank all of them wholeheartedly.

I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the Maldivian Government for seconding some of its best staff to my team.

I would like to make special mention of my Executive Secretary Ahid Ahmed who has been by my side, throughout the session. And my Executive Assistant Salman Zaki, who managed my unenviable calendar and made sure that my workday never ended.

Let us give a great round of applause to my team at the OPGA. 

Excellencies,

This Presidency has been a win like no other for my country the Maldives and the Maldives Foreign Service.

I thank President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, for trusting me with this responsibility. This is a win for your forward-looking foreign policy, and your commitment to multilateralism.

My team at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has shown the world, what a small team of highly determined and committed individuals – who refuse to give up hope – can achieve!

The team at Headquarters and Missions around the world, under the incredible leadership and guidance of Minister of State Ahmed Khaleel, with the support of the Maldivian Ambassadors around the world, continues to work hard day and night, with one objective in mind – to raise the Maldivian flag high.

This is especially true of Team Maldives here in New York, led by the very excellent Permanent Representative and Special Envoy to the PGA, Thilmeeza Hussain.

I have one word for Team Khaarijee – Kurevijje!

[Translation: We’ve done it!]

I am especially honoured that Special Envoy of President Solih - one of my mentors – his Excellency Ibrahim Hussain Zaki is here with us today.

I would also like to thank my family, who made me the person I am today – especially my mum and dad. A special thanks as well, to all my friends around the world, and in the Maldives.

Excellencies,  

Even as we open our borders and return to our once normal routines, COVID-19 stubbornly lingers.

New conflicts are emerging, and old ones persist

Millions across the world are starving and impoverished. A fragile global economy and disrupted food-supply chains add to their burdens and anxieties.

We are facing a climate emergency.

The politics of hate continue to divide us, even as we are in desperate need of unity.

Migrants, women, minorities, and other marginalized communities look on in despair as their hard-won rights are stripped away.

The multilateral system itself is under assault.

Every crisis feels worse than the last.

But my friends, the real crisis would be, a loss of hope.

Hope is not blind optimism or blissful ignorance.

Hope is acknowledging and affirming our potential.

It is about recognising the wonders humanity is capable of when we are at our best and work together.

If we can produce and distribute multiple viable COVID-19 vaccines in record time, can we not get everyone vaccinated, repair global supply chains and feed our hungry?

If we can launch super telescopes capable of peering into the farthest edges of space and studying distant galaxies, can we not reverse the damage we have done to our own planet? 

If within a quarter-century, we can make quantum leaps in technology and transform the way we work and communicate, can we not revive and rebuild our economies to be sustainable?

If we can avert a third world war, and sustain the current multilateral system for 76 years, can we not amend the UN system where it falls short?

Can we not silence the guns, end conflicts, and secure a true and lasting global peace? 

Of course, we can!

And it will take hope.

Excellencies,

Let us not lose hope and give into cynicism.

Let us not turn our backs on those who look to us at the United Nations for solutions.

Let us use the instruments at our disposal to secure global peace and justice.

Let us not stand idle and let the world drift to an uncertain future.

Let us tell the next generation that their aspirations, their futures, their planet, are worth fighting for.

We owe it to ourselves, to our peers, to our children, to our grandchildren, to humanity, to choose hope.

Your Excellency, President-elect Csaba Korosi, I congratulate you, and wish you and your team the very best, as you take on the responsibility of leading the 77th session.

Mr Secretary General,

Excellencies,

Today, the 76th session of the General Assembly ends. But hope must live on.

It is true, that humanity faces challenges more complex and multidimensional than ever before. Solving them will take ambition and perseverance.

But guided by our faith in humanity, by our aspirations for a brighter future, by our love for our children and grandchildren, we will succeed.

With courage. With grace. With hope.      

وَمَا تَوْفِيقِىٓ إِلَّا بِٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَإِلَيْهِ أُنِيبُ

Translation: My success comes only through Allah. In Him I trust and to Him I turn. [Quran, 11:88]