President at Princeton: An independent Maldives important for future order in Indian Ocean

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, underscoring the strategic significance of the Maldives in maintaining the balance of power in the Indian Ocean, has emphasized the importance of prosperous, independent Maldives for the Indian Ocean and the broader global community.

He made the remark while speaking at the ‘Deans Leadership Series’ of Princeton University’s School of Public and International Affairs.

In this regard, President Muizzu, citing his electoral pledge to uphold and strengthen the Maldives sovereignty independence, said the respect for sovereignty and sovereign equality among nations are the fundamental principles on which today’s international order rests and multilateral system operates.

When these rules are applied at a regional level, the President emphasized that Maldives recognized the importance of upholding a rule-based order in the Indian Ocean and valued the nation’s part in it.

“That is why I promised my fellow Maldivians that I will invest in our capacity to contribute and lead global efforts in strengthening an international order based on the principle of multilateralism. So that we may, above all, safeguard our sovereignty and independence,” he remarked, stressing how vital safeguarding the sovereignty and independence is for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to thrive and prosper.

President Muizzu also spoke regarding Maldives’ rapid transformation, describing the nation as a development success story.

He affirmed his commitment to transform the nation into an inclusive and prosperous society, step up advocacy to take action on climate crisis, and to reform the international financial architecture. He also spoke regarding Maldives’ leadership and advocacy for urgent global action to prevent a climate disaster while reaffirming the nation’s dedication to environmental conservation and raising awareness about climate change. 

He also addressed current global challenges with an emphasis on the ongoing war and genocide in Gaza. On this note, he stressed the importance of US institutions in upholding human rights, and respecting the right to peaceful protest while urging universities to remain bastions of free thought and constructive discourse.

President Muizzu addressed Princeton University on the sidelines of his official engagements during his ongoing visit to the United States to participate in the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly at the invitation of Dean Amaney A. Jamal, the Edwards S. Sanford Professor of Politics and International Affairs at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. 

The President and Dean Amaney also held a meeting during which they discussed areas of mutual cooperation.