VP Hussain Concludes Landmark Climate Diplomacy Visit to Hawaii

News

Vice President Uz Hussain Mohamed Latheef has successfully concluded his official visit to Hawai‘i, United States of America, marking a significant stride in the Maldives’ global climate engagement and renewable energy ambitions.

Invited as a special guest by the Blue Planet Alliance (BPA), the Vice President’s visit underscored the Maldives’ leadership and urgency in the fight against climate change, particularly as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) on the frontlines of its devastating impacts.

During the visit, the Vice President delivered a compelling keynote at the opening of the BPA Fellowship Programme, urging the global community to embrace transformative thinking and break free from conventional development models to secure a resilient future. He stressed that for island nations like the Maldives, climate change is not a distant threat—it is an everyday reality that reshapes lives, landscapes, and livelihoods.

A key milestone of the visit was the formalisation of a non-binding partnership agreement between the Maldives and the Blue Planet Alliance. Signed during the Fellowship Programme’s opening ceremony, the agreement signals the Maldives’ aspiration to scale up renewable energy deployment and further align with the BPA’s vision of a fossil fuel-free future.

In another historic first, Vice President Latheef became the first Maldivian Vice President to visit the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Inouye Regional Centre. He expressed profound appreciation for NOAA’s contributions to the Maldives, especially in the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, and recognised the continued role of the International Tsunami Information Centre (ITIC) and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) in bolstering regional disaster resilience and preparedness.

While addressing the Honolulu International Forum (HIF), hosted by the Pacific Forum, the Vice President reaffirmed the Maldives’ deep-rooted commitment to sustainable ocean stewardship. He called for urgent reforms in international climate finance, advocating for models that reflect the vulnerabilities of SIDS and support the Blue Economy as a lifeline for national survival.

The Vice President also held strategic discussions with Ms. Gwen Yamamoto-Lau, Executive Director of the Hawai‘i Green Infrastructure Authority (HGIA). The dialogue centered on innovative green finance models, such as on-bill financing, that have enabled Hawai‘i’s successful transition toward renewable energy. These mechanisms, he noted, offer valuable templates for the Maldives to increase private sector participation and expand clean energy access.

Accompanying the Vice President was Ali Shareef, the Maldives' Special Envoy for Climate Change, along with senior government officials, utility representatives, and civil society actors. Many are participating as fellows in the Blue Planet Alliance Fellowship Programme’s fourth cohort, held from May 19–23, 2025 in Honolulu.

This landmark visit not only strengthens Maldives-Hawai‘i cooperation but also reinforces the Maldives’ global positioning as a proactive and innovative voice on climate action and ocean sustainability.