July 29, 2021
Maldivian Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change Sabra Noordeen and High Commissioner Omar Razak called on Director-General Ambassador M. Ashraf Haidari today. The Envoy discussed the climate priorities of President Mohammed Ibrahim Solih ahead of the COP26, as well as the importance of climate finance for helping climate-vulnerable small island nations, including Maldives and Sri Lanka, adapt to climate change.
Director-General Haidari briefed Envoy Noordeen on the mission, projects, and programs of the South Asia Cooperative Environment Program (SACEP), which Maldives is a member-state of, and highlighted SACEP's efforts to help ensure coordination of climate policy formulation and implementation across the South Asia region.
Moreover, he discussed his recent country visits to Afghanistan and the United States, exploring opportunities for cooperation on mitigation and adaptation measures to help address the global challenge of climate change together. In this light, they took note of the PLEASE project, funded by the World Bank and Parley for the Oceans, which SACEP implements to help South Asia rid itself of plastic pollution.
Director-General Haidari assured the Envoy, "We at SACEP stand ready to support Maldives however we can, as President Solih leads the way in helping his country adapt to the adverse effects of climate change. As I said in a recent interview, fighting climate change can't be done by one country or one region alone BUT by the whole world."
