Aslam: For Maldives, peace also means climate security

For the island nation of Maldives, peace also means climate security, says Mohamed Aslam, the speaker of Maldivian Parliament.

He made the remark while addressing the 148th Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly held in Geneva, Switzerland, on Sunday.

Addressing the assembly, Aslam said that while the contribution of the small island nation of Maldives to climate change is negligible, it is disproportionately affected by climate change.

“We are a nation of over 500,000 people. Losing our home is not an option. We do not want to be climate refugees. We have a culture. We have a language. We have an identity. We want to remain in the beautiful Maldives forever,” he said.

Speaking further, Aslam expressed concern over the gender disparity in the Maldivian Parliament.

He noted that despite the fact that females make up for 49 percent of the Maldives’ population, only five percent of parliamentarians are women.

“I believe in the significance of promoting and ensuring equal representation within political parties, it is imperative that we take proactive steps in this direction,” he said.

Aslam also highlighted on other major challenges facing the Maldives, such as terrorism and drug trafficking.

Aslam also noted that as the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the Maldives, too is not immune to global challenges such as terrorism and drug trafficking.

He also renewed the call for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.

“As we are gathered here, let us not forget even for a minute, the struggles of the Palestinian people. I urge for an immediate and permanent ceasefire in Palestine. Conflicts like this have far-reaching consequences,” he said.

Aslam said that such armed conflicts are not just an injustice, and inhumane to those directly involved, but will have a ripple effect, affecting peace across the world.

“Be it climate change, gender disparities, terrorism or regional conflicts, the solutions lie in collective action and cooperation,” he said.