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President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and First Lady Madam Nasreena being welcomed on arrival at the BMIC by the President of Sri Lanka. President Gayoom is in Sri Lanka to participate in the 15th SAARC Summit.
President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom on Saturday proposed four measures to address the energy crisis facing countries of the eight-member regional body, whose leaders focused their inaugural speeches, at the 15th summit meeting, on a wide range of topics from terrorism and climate change to rising food prices.
Noting that high demand for energy was a consequence of rapid economic growth in South Asia, Gayoom said that first, reliance on fossil fuels need to be reduced and tangible targets should be set to harness alternative energy sources.
Furthermore national policies aimed at more sustainable and efficient energy consumption must be introduced while efforts should be made to develop greater cooperation with economic partners such as the countries from economic blocs such as ASEAN – the Association for South East Asian Nations. In addition, Gayoom said, economic activity must be supported by a desire to protect and sustain the natural environment.
President Gayoom said that one of the many challenges facing SAARC, which needs to be addressed urgently, is the world climate change.
"One cannot overemphasize the adverse effects that climate change has on fundamental human rights such as the right to life, shelter and a sustainable livelihood. Science tells us that climate change, if left unmitigated, will have catastrophic consequences for many of us.
Paradoxically, global climate change policies are still driven more by economic rationale, than the all-too important issue of human security", he said.
Gayoom said that South Asia is the most vulnerable region in the world to climate change, "our policy decisions must reflect the social and human rights implications of climate change" given the high risks the environmental impact would have on the people.
The exponential growth of the region's population, combined with greater purchasing power owed to economic progress has increased pressure on the already inflated food prices, Gayoom said.
He noted that "unfortunately, the fact remains that, increased food prices affect the most vulnerable and poor sections of our populations".
"The SAARC Food Bank is a practical instrument that will help meet the challenges of food scarcity, and lay the foundations for greater food security in the region. Early ratification and operationalization of the Food Bank is, therefore, vital for the sustainable supply of essential food items in the region".
Given the threat of terrorism and instability in the region, Gayoom noted that it was important to undertake all efforts to strengthen peace and stability in the region.
"The SAARC Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters will complement the efforts of the law enforcement agencies for greater regional cooperation in the fight against terrorism", he said.
