Maldives will be the world

President Dr Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has said that in five years, Maldives will be the largest marine reserve in the world.

The President made this announcement in his speech delivered at 20:15 local time last night at the Rio+20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The President noted that this policy would encourage sustainable fishing, and that any mode of fishing which causes damage to reefs will not be allowed in the Maldives.

Highlighting the world’s acceptance of Maldives’ carbon neutrality targets, he said that 60 percent of energy produced in Maldives in the future will be solar energy, and that it is the government’s target to make the remaining 40 percent also environment friendly.

Referring to the notable success the country has achieved by relying on sustainable practices, the President noted that the Maldives was one of the only three countries to have ever graduated from the United Nations’ Least Developed Country category. He mentioned that the Maldives is on its way to achieving the millennium goals.

He stressed that the Maldives will always cooperate in sustainable environmental issues.

The President also said that the current challenges faced by the Maldives are more serious than the country had ever experienced before. He highlighted the political changes, and said that the government is making efforts to strengthen democracy and improve the social and economic situation of the country.

He said that compared with the situation 20 years ago, the world is facing several serious challenges. Millions of children and young people around the world are deprived of their basic rights, and they do not have much hope for the future.