H. E. Dr. Ahmed Shaheed, Minister of Foreign Affairs today issued a statement on the occasion of Commonwealth Day 2010.

QUOTE:

It gives me great pleasure to extend my heartiest congratulations and sincere good wishes to the people of Maldives, as we celebrate the Sixty‐first Anniversary of the Commonwealth Day. I also wish to congratulate the people of Maldives, not only for the important role we have been playing in the Commonwealth, but also for the progress and prosperity we have achieved through Commonwealth partnerships and engagements.

This year’s theme, “Science, Technology and Society” is quite timely. In today’s world, science and technology play a pre‐eminent role in enhancing human development, economic progress and in achieving social maturity. Within the Commonwealth, scientific and technological advancements are transforming societies, in areas ranging from malaria prevention, combating climate change and poverty eradication.

Advances in science have undoubtedly benefited small island communities such as the Maldives in improving the quality of life of our people. Access to technology is revolutionising the traditional methods used for information dissemination benefiting vital sectors such as education and health. At present, the Maldives is embarked on a historic journey to attain scientific and technological prowess that would make it the first carbon neutral country in the world. At this crucial juncture in our national journey, the Commonwealth has an important role to play in enhancing access to scientific and technological innovations especially through its established networks and partnerships.

The Maldives highly values the close relationship that it shares with the Commonwealth. As such we are delighted to be included in the membership of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, decided in Port of Spain last year, and be given a chance to contribute to strengthening democracy in the world. Our membership is not merely a stamp of approval of the efforts of all Maldivians, but also a tremendous vote of confidence in the ability of H. E. President Mohamed Nasheed to champion democracy even beyond our borders.

I would once again like to express my sincere wishes on this occasion not only to all Maldivians, but also to everyone associated with the family of the Commonwealth, and I am confident that the cordial ties binding the nations of the Commonwealth would be further consolidated in the years to come.

UNQUOTE: