Monday 02 Nov 2026
Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam co-chairs the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small States on November 1, 2026. (Photo/Foreign Ministry)
Maldivian Foreign Minister Iruthisham Adam on Sunday urged the global community for greater access to long-term and affordable finance for small island developing states.
She made the appeal as she co-chaired the Commonwealth Ministerial Meeting on Small States alongside the Foreign Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Chet Greene.
The meeting was held on Sunday in St John’s, Antigua and Barbuda, under the theme “Scaling up Partnerships and Investment for Resilient Small States”, ahead of the 28th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).
In her remarks, Iruthisham called to strengthen advocacy mechanisms, including through building existing mechanisms, such as the Antigua and Barbuda Agenda for Small Island Developing States (ABAS).
She also urged greater access to long-term, affordable, and predictable finance.
Iruthisham highlighted the need for stronger partnerships with international financial institutions, development partners, and the private sector to scale up investment in climate resilience, energy transition, trade, debt sustainability, and digital transformation.
Climate commitments must be matched by the necessary means of implementation, she stressed.
She further emphasized the importance of scaling up successful national initiatives, strengthening technical assistance, and retaining expertise to support lasting development outcomes across small states.
Highlighting the principles of the Maldivian administration’s ‘Maldives First’ foreign policy, Iruthisham reaffirmed the Maldives commitment to partnerships grounded in respect for sovereignty and national priorities.
She also stressed that Commonwealth cooperation must be guided by clear objectives, measurable progress, and shared responsibility.
Iruthisham also spoke about the importance of ensuring that small states are represented in international decision-making, noting Maldives candidatures for election to the Human Rights Council for the 2028–2030 term and the United Nations Security Council for the 2033–2034 term.
Sunday’s meeting brought together Commonwealth member states to discuss shared priorities and strengthen cooperation for the resilience and sustainable development of small states.
As co-chairs, Minister Iruthisham and her counterpart from Antigua and Barbuda delivered the opening and closing remarks.
The meeting also heard a special address by Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda Gaston Browne and remarks by the Commonwealth Secretary General Shirley Botchwey.
