The Vice President Attends the Inauguration Ceremony of ‘South Asian Nitrogen Hub’

On Monday, Vice President of the Maldives, His Excellency Faisal Naseem attended the inauguration ceremony of the ‘South Asian Nitrogen Hub’ (SANH) meeting which took place in the Maldives. During the ceremony, the Vice President inaugurated the Massive Open Learning Introductory Course on Nitrogen and launched the Maldives’ Country Report which underscored the nitrogen status and management strategies in the nation.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Vice President noted the significance of holding the SANH regional meeting in the Maldives and reaffirmed Maldives’ commitment to addressing the global environmental agenda through the formulation of informed policies on nitrogen management in the Maldives. He also shed light on the purpose of the meeting, stating that it renders invaluable contributions both in an academic and research-based perspective on issues related to nitrogen management.

In addition to this, the Vice President also commended the Maldives National University (MNU) for spearheading the programme in the Maldives in close collaboration with stakeholders. Emphasizing the vulnerability of the country to climate change, Vice President Faisal Naseem underlined the disastrous consequences faced by the Maldives owing to environmental vulnerability. This includes detrimental effects borne by the Maldivian economy, industries, businesses and the deteriorating health and well-being of local communities as a result of climate change.

Furthermore, the Vice President stated that moving forward it is of utmost importance to specify nitrogen emission reduction targets in policy instruments and sectoral plans and to ensure effective implementation of these actions and plans to pave way for a greener planet. Reflecting on the demographics of the region, the Vice President stressed that the 2 billion South Asian population is projected to double by 2050, correlating with the fertilizer input hence, the area is forecasted to have the highest nitrogen inputs by 2050. In this regard, he outlined the challenges that would bring including strains on food security and environmental and development concerns.

The SANH Regional meeting is attended by dignitaries from all 8 South Asian countries as well as delegates from the United Kingdom (UK). The 8 south Asian countries taking part in the meeting are Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.