President Mohamed Nasheed implored delegates at the Maldives Partnership Forum, also known as the 2010 Donor Conference, to give the Maldives “your spoonful of sugar to help the medicine go down.”
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Nasheed told the 60 representatives of foreign countries and financial institutions participating in this year’s conference, which aims to attract foreign investment to help the government’s decentralisation plan and aid in the economic recovery of the country.
Foreign and local delegates, government officials and media crowded the meeting room for the opening ceremony which began at 10am with a recitation from the Holy Qur’an.
A video was then played for the audience which showcased the Maldives’ transition to democracy and the hope to develop the country in a sustainable manner. Five Maldivians spoke in the video and told their stories.
They included a farmer who hopes that sustainable practices will improve his crops; a woman who wants to run her own business; a man who moved his family to Malé to provide his children with better education and is having difficulty in adjusting to the problem of adequate housing; a girl who moved to Malé for her education and fell into heroin addiction; a boy who notices how the beach on his island gets smaller and how the water comes closer to his house each year.
Speakers
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ahmed Shaheed was the first to address the audience. He thanked the guests for participating in the conference, adding that “you have come to the Maldives at a crucial time” in the country’s history.
“There is a lot of work to be done to build a better future together,” Shaheed said, noting the Maldives has “transformed from a repressive society to an open society.”
“It is tempting to think that the hard work is done,” he said, “but truly, it is just beginning.”
Dr Shaheed spoke of the importance of implementing human rights and democracy in the daily lives of every Maldivian, as well as in government practices.
He also hoped that democracy would not be linked to hardship and want in the country’s memory, as he acknowledged it has been a difficult transition.
Dr Shaheed wished to “bequeath our successors a country that is…. free.” He also hoped the conference would help the government in consolidating democracy through the five key areas being addressed as part of the economic reform of the country: macro-economic stability, public reform, governance and democratisation, climate change adaptation and social development.
World Bank Country Director for Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Naoko Ishii, was second to speak. She said she felt “privileged to have witnessed your journey, your very tough journey, into democracy” and made special reference to the importance of donor cooperation.
Ishii noted that many challenges still remain for the government and the people, but assured that the conference was a positive step in finding the right international partners to “shape the future of the Maldives.”
She mentioned waste disposal as an especially worrying issue, but said “there are numerous actions being taken by the government and the donors. [They] are making every effort.”
Ishii added the “Maldives can continue to take many positive steps” and mentioned that she would have liked to sign a contract under water on behalf of the World Bank.
Next to speak was Coordinator for the UN in the Maldives, Mansoor Ali. He said “we stand at a very historic juncture. Maldives is a success story of political transition.”
He wanted to present a different side of development, saying “the other side of this island paradise remains unknown for many.”
Ali focused on human rights, violence against girls and women, and the challenges being faced by Maldivian people: food shortages, rising fuel prices, the financial downturn and rising unemployment, which he said was up to 14.4%, with youth unemployment being a high concern.
He said the conference was “an unprecedented opportunity” to address these issues and to find solutions.
“The UN system is proud to have worked with [the government] in the Strategic Action Plan…which becomes a good vehicle for the sustainable development of the Maldives.”
Ali said the Maldives needs to be assisted through a comprehensive plan and thanked the donors for their vast support to the UN and the Maldivian government.
Democratic progress
President Mohamed Nasheed delivered the closing speech for the ceremony, saying Maldivians “are a diverse collection of people” who are “brought together by a common goal: we all want to see a peaceful and prosperous Maldives.”
President Nasheed said despite the “considerable progress” the country has made in the last 18 months, “there is so much work to do” since the country is still in “the infancy of democracy.”
He spoke of the transition to democracy and the issues that still need to be addressed to assure equal rights to every Maldivian.
“I don’t make a secret of my concern over the capacity of the judiciary to expend justice. Nevertheless, we respect their independence and hope that…it will grow to be a respected institution.”
He spoke of freedom of the press, noting that although the press could now “report and comment as they see fit,” he urged “certain sections of the media to be more responsible.”
He said journalists should be mindful of the consequences of their actions, and asked journalists “to try to the best of their ability to report the truth.”
He noted that the Maldives had climbed 53 places in the Reporters Without Borders’ Press Freedom Index, and warned that the government would take action against anyone who tried to undermine press freedom.
President Nasheed said “Maldivians enjoy more freedom today than at any other point in history,” and added that the government believes “people need liberty to progress.”
The president spoke of civil servants and the need to cut down on government expenditure, saying he is working with the international community “to assure we don’t spend more than we can afford.”
Politics
President Nasheed said according to the World Bank, the Maldives was facing the worst economic situation of all countries going through a democratic transition, attributing this to the fact that “we inherited an economy in crisis. We inherited a huge national debt and millions of dollars of unpaid bills.”
He said the way it worked in the past was “when international diplomats and observers come to this country, we try to patch everything up and try our best to show a clear, clean picture. But I think otherwise.”
The president said he wanted to show the donors “the worst of what we have” to give them a clear view of the situation the country is in.
“There are a lot of people who do not like the things that we are doing. But most members of the opposition are sensible and respectable politicians.”
But he criticised some members of the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP) who this weekend were “doing their best to get arrested” and disrupt the donor conference, saying that in his mind, “violence only creates violence.”
He said he did not believe arresting DRP leaders was the solution to the recent political unrest, or to past violations of rights, adding “if we took everyone implicated in corruption and torture, we would end up arresting most of the opposition.”
“It’s time that certain politicians left the nursery and learn to grow up.”
Leader of the opposition DRP Ahmed Thasmeen Ali meanwhile wrote an open letter to delegates of the donor conference claiming that under Nasheed’s leadership, the Maldives was “sliding into political chaos and instability”.
“It is my humble request that you may please exercise the powers of your good offices to address the issues of democratic deficit in the current administration,” Thasmeen wrote. “Counsel against the efforts of the government to consolidate absolute power in their hands, and advocate for the discontinuation of their endeavors to eliminate an effective political opposition.
Climate change
As a major platform of his campaign and presidency, President Nasheed spoke to the participants of the conference on the reality of climate change and the need to take action.
“Climate change is real,” he said, “and time is of the essence and it seems we are falling behind. The world needs to go carbon neutral by mid century.”
President Nasheed said his government wants “to break the link between carbon and development,” noting that “carbon neutral development is not just possible but profitable.”
The president said donors were investing in the Maldives, despite the challenges of climate change and highly-publicised threat of submersion, “because they want to maintain, adapt, protect and uplift the country. If you want to protect something… then of course you will come and donate and you will help.”
“This is a crucial period in time. We can actually introduce adaptation and litigation measures quickly enough to save the Maldives, so I think that’s why the donors are investing,” Nasheed said.
Donor Conference
President Nasheed thanked the donors for their participation, saying it is “so important and deeply appreciated.”
He said that thanks to the transition to democracy, “I believe the Maldives is becoming a better and fairer place,” and added that “with your assistance, we can help ensure the long term survival of this country and this land.”
World Bank aid
After the opening ceremony, Minister of Finance Ali Hashim and Naoko Ishii signed an agreement, on behalf of the Maldivian government and the World bank respectively, for an additional US$13.7 million in aid.
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I do not believe that democracy is medicine. Nor that it needs sugar to go down. The analogy however is useful, because though we do not 'need' it - the AID will go a long way towards stabilizing the nation, and therefore the democratic transition as well.
This government finds itself in an extremely precarious position. But if this government fails utterly and completely - then the nation will fail as well. Let no one forget that democracy is very much tied to this current administration and at least to it completing its term in office.
Where is the part??..where president Nasheed said: "We need not need a dictatorial regime and a theological regime" and also he further said we need the liberal minded citizens to out number the "islamist minded" citizens". TO ME HE WAS VERY BLUNTLY CALLING FOR A SECULAR STATE AND TO OUT THROW ISLAM FROM THE CONSTITUTION OF MALDIVES. WE SEE THE VERY ACTIONS OF PRESIDENT NASHEED HAVING AN OPEN MISSION TO DO SO! UNLIKE THE PREVIOUS DICTATOR TRIED IT INDIRECTLY..WE CALL UPON PRESIDENT NASHEED TO STOP THIS ACTIONS AND BE MORE EQUITABLE TO THE CITIZENS RATHER THAN BENDING TO THE WHIMS OF THE ATHEIST GROUPS IN MALDIVES. YOU ARE OUR BELOVED PRESIDENT ..BE A PRESIDENT OF PEOPLE...NOT THE FEW ELITE AND ATHEIST GROUP AROUND YOU!!!
Wow! Niyaf...President said that?
Well he is being the president of the whole country. When people complain to him about the growing radicalism in the country and he speaks about it in his radio address and says both sides should just air their views and without resorting to violence, giving voice to the likes of us who is alarmed at the way the country is going.
And no i am not an atheist,i am a muslim who believes that islam teaches us to be tolerant and respectful, even to those who don't share our views.If the prophet could live with jews and christians without any problem, we definetly can live with muslims who have different views, or even atheists. You can be open minded and still be a muslim.
come to think of it, the President will even have to some day speak for the atheists in the country also if he needs to be President for the whole country.His radio address was a call for peace and dialogue, and for all of us to co-exist. Most of us belong to the same religion and yet, now there are maldivians who think their version of the religion is THE only way. This country belongs to each and everyone of us, and the president shall speak for all of us.
I referred to the radio address cause i heard it in full, this speech sounds rocking too and yeah Niyaf you really need to stop being so paranoid.
Donor conference is a good thing but lets not shy away from asking the questions - Is aid good or bad? Should we celebrate aid handouts?
If you are a beggar, do you have glamourous party to celebrate how much you raised.
It may sound absurd, but aid is never good. To get aid you portray yourself as a victim or even a crumbling economy that is unable to manage itself. That is hardly a good signal if we want to attract investments. Also from donors you can NEVER get a good amount in compared to the lost dignity as a nation.
Its best live within the means of a country. With a good tax system, Maldives can raise 100 times more from its own businesses than aid peanuts.. Lets hope that happens in future..
Mr Nasheed is now showing his true face.We didn't elect the MDP government to give the wheel of this country to atheists and liberals.Or to sell our religion our culture to the western hypocrites who stood behind MDP government in bringing down former president.Mr.Nasheed is going against the wow he made while coming to the power.He is no longer our president.
We will not let this government or any government play with our religion.The radio speech given by Nasheed had angered those who love Islam in this community.ISLAM IS THE ONLY WAY.THERE IS NO SALVAGE FOR ANY ONE WHO HAD CHOSEN ANY RELIGION OTHER THAN ISLAM.JUST BECAUSE YOU LIKE SOME ASPECTS OF THE ISLAM AND DISLIKE THE OTHER ASPECTS OF THE ISLAM IT DOESN'T MAKE YOU A MUSLIM.IF YOU DENY ANY VERSE OF THE QURAN AND DENY THE SUNNAH OF OUR MESSENGER(SAW)HOW CAN ANY ONE BE A MUSLIM.OUR MESSENGER (SAW) WAS BORN TO A COMMUNITY WHERE ALL RELIGIONS EXISTED.AFTER ISLAM CAME SLOWLY ALL EXCEPTED ISLAM AND THE JEWS IN THE MADINAH WHERE BANISHED BECAUSE THEY BROKE THE TRUCE THEY HAD WITH THE MULSIMS .YES,THERE WERE CHRISTIANS AND JEWS IN THE COMMUNITY BUT A MINORITY WHO MIGRATED LATER ON.THEY NEVER PREACHED OR PRAYED IN PUBLIC OR THEY HAD NO CHURCHES OR PLACES OF WORSHIP IN MADINAH OR MECCA AFTER ISLAM CAME TO POWER.WHEN OUR MESSENGER (SAW)PASSED AWAY HE (SAW)HAD WARNED NOT TO LET ANY NON MUSLIM INTO MADINAH OR MECCA.PLUS THIS IS A MUSLIM COMMUNITY.IT TAKES JUST ONE APPLE TO SPOIL ALL THE APPLES IN A BASKET.WE WILL NEVER LET THIS HAPPEN!
Why are the religious nutjobs shouting (writing in all-caps is considered shouting on the web) in an article about the Donor Conference? Can't we have a discussion about any topic without these idiots hijacking the discussion?
@psychology of aid:
You claim aid is never good. You can not make generalizations like this. So you think nobody should give aid to Haiti? Anyway, the Donor Conference isn't about financial aid only. We need aid in terms of expertise related to management of the economy and governance.
Why should anyone donate,before this administration came to power, they use to tell this is South Asia's richest country, even from the income of single resort island is enough to run the entire country, thats what Nasheed campaigned. Why he needs to beg internationally, instead of one resort he claimed, he has got over 100 resorts.
BLOODY IMF IS DRIVING THIS WHOLE CONFERENCE......
Apparently, the IMF just can't die. It's like a blood sucking vampire, feeding off debt ridden countries with loans that further bury them in even more debt.
What is it going to take to drive a stake into the heart of this neoliberal monster to kill it once and for all (I mean IMF not Nasheed)
Rilwan said:IF YOU DENY ANY VERSE OF THE QURAN AND DENY THE SUNNAH OF OUR MESSENGER(SAW)HOW CAN ANY ONE BE A MUSLIM...
Then why do you deny the verse 2:256 in the quran.
Dear Maldivian,
002.256 Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out Clear from Error: whoever rejects Evil and believes in God hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And God heareth and knoweth all things.
Religions coexisting in harmony in the world and multicultural communities and building places of worship of other religions in a 100% Muslim country is completely different.So get read before you open your mouth.Do you think the Christians will allow us to build a Mosque in Vatican.If they are ready we are ready to build a church in the Maldives!Recently the Swiss government banned building minarets in Switzerland.Switzerland have only four Mosques . They are second most developed country in the world .They are liberals too.But where is the freedom of religion.WE ARE NOT DUMB LIKE YOU GUYS.WE KNOW THAT THE SOLE PURPOSE IS TO DIVIDE THE MALDIVIANS.THERE HAD NEVER BEEN SO MUCH VIOLENCE IN OUR NATION BEFORE DEMOCRACY CAME TO MALDIVES.WE DON'T WANT A SYSTEM THAT UPROOTS THE MORAL VALUE OF THIS COMMUNITY AND A SYSTEM THAT DIVIDES THE NATION INTO PIECES IN THE NAME OF POLITICAL PARTY'S.
to Name Reqiured
Haiti is a poor LDC which had a devastating earthquake. And maldives is not Haiti
Aid is PROVEN to be bad because it is always used as a political weapon by a) the Government in power b) by the donors themselves for their own agenda.
@ aid. good point. the organizations that are funding the spread of extremist islam in the maldives must be doing the same thing then.
forget about everything else and try to look at the current situation here in maldives. we shud be thankful to what nasheed is doing. truth is he is doing much much better than the previous dictator.this is the truth and lots of maldivians are failing to see this. and this very problem will distroy our country in many ways if the uncertainty continues like this.think people!!!!not about your party or wot ever. just think about this country once in a while.
If Mr.Nasheed had done one thing good he had ruined it with ten more things.Plus we never had a president in our history who called public ally to criticize Islam.We don't wanna keep him in power for a single moment!!
just because the president said the moderates should have a voice doesn't mean he's un-Islamic or talking against Islam. I'm a moderate Muslim and I would like my voice to be heard just like so many others. also I know that in Islam everything should be moderate and therefore the extremists wahabbees aren't the only ones who are supposed to talk about religion and they should know they are not the only Muslims in this country. just because other men don't have big beards and wear the short trousers, and the women don't cover their eyes and faces (i think covering the whole face and identity is a very bad thing) and wear gloves and socks, and also wear full black in this hot nation, does not make them any less Muslim.
exactly bumarey!!! mithaa ulheny hus islam hedhun beyrun laigen ethere kuni koggen ulhey baeh.komme kameh vaairah islam , islam govaafa nukunnany. ....hukuru dhuvahu noony mikitheh furey dhuvaheh nei. ekamuves maaa islam kamah hedhi ganegen ulhey baeh mithaaa ulheny. dhen hama nasheed echekey bunaairah dhynun beyruvy.myhunge mas rolah hafaigen kaairu dhynun hama emmethankolhehves beyru nuveyoo....mee dhen kihaaa hevvaaa kameh. kameh vaairah islam dheenuga eheney miheney kiyaaairu mithaaa ulheny hus hukuru muslimunney. hurihaaa dhivehin hama bimah faibanvy. mihaaaru thankolheh mathyga miulheveny.
hama kameh vaairah islam islam......mithaaa dhen hus dheeneee leaders dhoa miulheny. hukurau dhuvahu nooony miskitheh dhuvahaku furuny thaneh noon.dhen hama nasheed echekey bunaairah dheenum beyruvee. ..thanthaaa thibe myhunge mas rolaaa kaaairu hama ok. dheenakunves beyreh nuvey.comon komme kamakah dheen nagaaa boluga elhun huttabala.
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mad headed tea party on Wed, 31st Mar 2010 1:19 PM
hama kameh vaairah islam islam……mithaaa dhen hus dheeneee leaders dhoa miulheny. hukurau dhuvahu nooony miskitheh dhuvahaku furuny thaneh noon.dhen hama nasheed echekey bunaairah dheenum beyruvee. ..thanthaaa thibe myhunge mas rolaaa kaaairu hama ok. dheenakunves beyreh nuvey.comon komme kamakah dheen nagaaa boluga elhun huttabala.
Ithuru kollanan - Anhen kujjaku 15 meehun vegen rape kurias bayaku muzahara kura hithe nuvey, Holiday Inn a liqour licence dhey vaahaka dhakkafiya ey Qiyamai duvas ey ayee. Mikahala sikundi hingaa rayyithuna a ekko kon democracy eh heyo verikame kurevenee?