President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has said that strengthening early warning systems is a national priority for the Maldives and a critical investment in resilience, preparedness and sustainable development.
He made the remarks during the Early Warning for All: Delivering on Our Promise to Protect Everyone segment at the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
For a small island developing state such as the Maldives, early warning systems are essential to protecting lives, livelihoods and communities from climate-related disasters, the President said. Such threats affect the population, infrastructure and key economic sectors, particularly tourism and fisheries.
The Maldives was the first country in Asia and among small island developing states to endorse the Early Warnings for All initiative, and significant progress has been made in its implementation, he noted.
While global awareness of the issue has increased, progress must translate into tangible benefits for vulnerable countries, particularly SIDS, the President stressed.
Looking beyond 2027, he called for a more ambitious EW4All programme that places SIDS at the centre of implementation. This includes strengthening weather and climate services, enhancing forecasting capabilities, investing in reliable communication networks, improving community preparedness, and ensuring effective last-mile delivery of warnings.
The President called for the integration of early warning systems into national climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction strategies. These systems must be recognised as essential investments in resilience, sustainable development and climate security, he said.
Access to effective early warning systems should not be regarded as a privilege, but as a necessity and a cornerstone of climate justice, he added.
He also called on developed countries, development banks, climate funds and international institutions to provide greater financial and technical support through grants, concessional financing, technology transfer and capacity-building.
The President welcomed ongoing efforts under the initiative and reaffirmed the Maldives’ readiness to work closely with all partners to advance its objectives.
