Maldives Can Only Achieve Clean Energy Transition With International Financial Assistance, Says President Muizzu at COP31

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has said that the Maldives' goals for transitioning to clean energy can only be achieved with international financial assistance. Speaking at a high-level consultation meeting held today on transitioning to clean energy, as part of the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is being held from yesterday until Friday, the President said that the Maldives' efforts to transition to clean energy are a highly important matter for protecting the environment as well as ensuring the country's economic and energy security. President Muizzu said that because the Maldives is a country that spends heavily on importing oil from foreign countries for construction and public use, changes in oil prices in the world market affect the Maldives to an extreme degree. Therefore, he noted that reducing dependence on oil is a matter that must be done with high priority at the national level. In this regard, the President said that the target set by the Maldives is for 33 percent of the electricity used in the country to be generated from renewable energy. Noting that large investments are needed to establish systems to generate renewable energy and systems to store energy in various parts of the Maldives in order to achieve this target, he said. Noting that because the islands of the Maldives are formed separately, large costs are incurred in establishing and maintaining energy facilities, the President said that a roadmap to be pursued in the energy sector from 2024 to 2033 has been prepared. He said this is a roadmap prepared to reduce dependence on oil and provide electricity services in a sustainable manner. As the goals of transitioning to clean energy can only be achieved with international financial assistance and access to technology and investments, the President has requested the support of the international community. The President said that the success of the world's energy sector cannot be measured by announced pledges, but by the efforts made to achieve them practically. And the President gave assurance that the Maldives will stand firmly to build an environmentally friendly future. President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu participated in the high-level consultation meeting held on 11 November 2026, as part of COP31, on transitioning to clean energy.