The Maldives did not actively participate in the negotiations towards a Political Declaration but was among the first group of states to endorse the Political Declaration in Dublin in November 2022.
Statements and positions
As a member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, the Maldives aligned with World Humanitarian Summit Core Commitments to ‘Uphold the Norms that Safeguard Humanity’ in May 2016, including the commitment “to promote and enhance the protection of civilians and civilian objects, especially in the conduct of hostilities, for instance by working to prevent civilian harm resulting from the use of wide-area explosive weapons in populated areas, and by sparing civilian infrastructure from military use in the conduct of military operations.”1
Implementation of the Political Declaration
In February 2024, INEW and EWM conducted a state survey into endorser states' national efforts to disseminate and implement the Political Declaration. In the survey, the Maldives reported that it had not disseminated the Political Declaration. In addition, the Maldives reported that the Department of International Defence Cooperation and Policy within the Ministry of Defence is responsible for the implementation of the Declaration. 2
The Maldives stated that it has not conducted trainings, briefings or workshops on the content of the Political Declaration or its domestic implementation. Nor has it reviewed laws, policies, approaches or practices relevant to the protection of civilians to identify further policy development that is necessary to meet the commitments under the Declaration and avoid harm from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. 3
The Maldives stated that it had undertaken other initiatives pertaining to the protection of civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, but did not specify what these were. 4
To view all of the Maldives’ responses to the INEW and EWM state survey, and other states’ responses, see the Explosive Weapons Monitor 2023, Chapter III on Universalisation and Implementation of the Political Declaration.