The Maldives has called for stronger international action to end the genocide in Gaza and urged countries around the world to fully support this objective.

The appeal was made during the High-Level International Conference for the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine and the Implementation of the Two-State Solution, held in New York from 28 to 30 July 2024.

Delivering the Maldives’ statement, Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Dr Ali Naseer Mohamed, addressed the conference. He underscored the need for the international community to place diplomacy and multilateralism at the forefront in confronting what he described as acts of genocide and continued aggression by Israel in Palestine.

In his remarks, Dr Naseer also stressed the urgency of implementing relevant United Nations resolutions. He reaffirmed the Maldives’ strong support for the recognition of East Quds as the capital of Palestine and as an independent, sovereign state based on pre-1967 borders. He further emphasised the importance of sustaining international assistance to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine in the Near East (UNRWA), ensuring that support remains uninterrupted.

He went on to state that the Maldives is ready to extend all necessary assistance for the implementation of the Arab Reconstruction Plan, which aims to support recovery and rebuilding efforts across Palestine.

The conference itself was convened under a mandate set by a resolution adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 3 December 2024. It was held to reaffirm the United Nations’ position on the Question of Palestine and the Two-State Solution, and to promote the implementation of the relevant resolutions. Chaired by the Foreign Ministers of France and Saudi Arabia, the conference resumed after being postponed in June due to the deteriorating situation in the Middle East.