His Excellency Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef has underscored that protecting rights in the face of sea-level rise demands sustained and coordinated partnerships across all levels of governance, while delivering a statement at High-Level Panel 1: Protecting Rights in the Face of Sea-Level Rise at the Berlin Climate Mobility Forum 2026.
He highlighted that sea-level rise is already shaping the country's development planning, infrastructure investments, and long-term national priorities — threatening not only physical security, but also the ability of Maldivians to maintain their homes, cultures, identities, and connections to place.
On questions of sovereignty and statehood, the Vice President noted that the Maldives, alongside other Small Island Developing States (SIDS), has consistently maintained that statehood and sovereignty must be upheld. He stressed that international law rests on stability, equity, fairness, and the sovereign equality of states, and that the rights of the Maldivian people, including the right to self-determination, must remain protected.
He stated that the first priority must be to protect communities and support their right to remain where they choose, with dignity. This requires sustained investment in adaptation, including climate-resilient infrastructure, shore protection, safer housing, resilient public services, and long-term planning. He noted that adaptation is not simply an environmental response, but a means of safeguarding rights, livelihoods, culture, identity, and human dignity.
Highlighting the Maldives' ongoing efforts to strengthen resilience, the Vice President noted that initiatives such as Hulhumale' and Ras Male' demonstrate how proactive adaptation measures can help protect communities, expand opportunities for citizens, and reduce climate risks before displacement becomes unavoidable.
The Vice President further noted that without predictable and accessible finance, vulnerable countries cannot build the resilience they need, and called for continued efforts to advance legal certainty and ensure affected states retain the capacity to protect their people and preserve their rights.
He concluded by reaffirming the Maldives' commitment to collaborating with partners across the international community to advance solutions that protect people, safeguard rights, uphold international law, and strengthen resilience in the face of sea-level rise.