Govt minister slams Yameen: Leaders are supposed to advance interests, not disengage from global stage

Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim slammed former President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom over his criticism of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s statements at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday, saying that leaders are supposed to advance the interests of their people, not recoil and disengage from the global state.

At a People’s National Front (PNF) rally on Thursday night, Yameen said that a leader of a small country such as the Maldives making demands at the UN would draw ridicule from the global community. He also said that President Muizzu speaking about Palestinian rights is meaningless without first delivering his promise to ban Israeli passports.

In a post on X on early Saturday, Thoriq, who accompanied President Muizzu on his New York visit, said that Yameen, during his five-year tenure, never attended a UNGA nor took any interest in multilateral diplomacy.

He said that leaders are supposed to represent and advance positions and priorities that are in the best interest of their people, not recoil and disengage from the global stage.

“And that is exactly what president Yameen did. He withdrew from the global community and isolated the Maldives from the world,” said Thoriq, who had also served as a member of Yameen’s cabinet.

He added that in 2015, when world leaders came together to adopt the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and when countries came together to negotiate the Paris Agreement – an international treaty on climate change, the former president had been absent.

“And he remained absent throughout his tenure. Over and over again,” he said.

Thoriq said that he is proud to serve under President Muizzu.

“He has shown time and time again his leadership and dedication to the Maldivian people and our national interests,” he said.

Thoriq noted that President Muizzu made history as the first Maldivian leader to speak at the UN Security Council.

“He has also shown that we are open to the world. That we will work to find collective solutions. On the basis of national interest. On the basis of our principles and values. And on the basis of advocating and standing up for what is right,” he said.

“We may be a small country. But under President Dr @MMuizzu we are determined to fight for a better future for all.”