President Waheed Meets UK media

Monday, June 11th, 2012

On Thursday and Friday, President Dr Mohamed Waheed gave interviews to leading UK print and broadcast media outlets. The President discussed his assumption of the Presidency, recent political developments in the Maldives, and the upcoming Rio +20 Climate Conference.

President Waheed gave interviews to BBC Online, The Times, the Financial Times, and First Magazine, and provided television interviews to Impact on BBC World News and Sky News.

When asked about the recent developments in the Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI), the President briefed journalists on the proposed appointment of a Singaporean judge as Co-Chair of CoNI, and the Government of Maldives’ recent acceptance of former President Nasheed’s nominee to CoNI.

President Waheed further emphasised that the current Government is committed to taking democracy forward in the Maldives, and committed to holding elections at the earliest constitutionally permitted date in July 2013.

In his media engagements, President Waheed also highlighted the importance of the Rio +20 UN Environment Summit due to be held in Rio de Janeiro later this month. The President acknowledged the pressing existential threat of climate change to the Maldives, and vowed to continue taking action on environmental issues.

Furthermore, President Waheed spoke of his Government’s creation of a new Ministry to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate change, and his intention to attend Rio +20 to promote the Maldives’ carbon neutrality plan.

On Thursday evening, President Dr Mohamed Waheed and First Lady Madam Ilham Hussain also met UK-based Maldivian students and families at a reception held at the Maldives High Commission in London.

The reception at the High Commission offered the President and the First Lady the opportunity to inspect the High Commission and meet the High Commission staff.

After chatting informally with guests and High Commission staff, President Waheed gave a short speech in which he expressed his pleasure at having the opportunity to personally meet Maldivians making their future overseas.

Furthermore, President Waheed noted the difficulty of getting balanced news on current events in the Maldives, and outlined some of the political and economic challenges being faced in the Maldives as it moves forward.

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