President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih stated that his Administration considers continued independence and sovereignty alongside citizen’s welfare are the two key aspects of fostering foreign ties.

The President made the remark on his National Day address to the Maldivian people.

Recounting the status of the Maldives when he took office, President Solih said that the Maldives had been sidelined from the international arena and stripped of innumerable opportunities to aid, privileges and resources due to an isolationist foreign policy.

In his speech, President Solih underscored the manifold benefits available to citizens of Maldives through his Administration's revised foreign policy and through the efforts to restore amicable international relations. In this regard, he affirmed that the financial and technical assistance granted to the Maldives as foreign aid during the Covid-19 pandemic is a distinct result of sound foreign policy and outstanding international relations.

President Solih also detailed the history behind the Maldivian National Day, reiterating the valiant actions of Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam who delivered the Maldives from the occupation of the Portuguese. He urged the public to pay their respects to all national heroes who sacrificed their lives for the freedom and independence of our beloved country. He also encouraged vigilance in the patriotic duty to protect our nation.

The President also stressed that it is every citizen's obligation to protect the most fundamental pillars of the Maldives; shared faith, language and culture. He added that every Maldivian citizen is charged with nurturing these three central factors and with the mission to foster younger generations with familiarity and respect for these values. President Solih concluded his address with a prayer to Allah Almighty to protect the faith, sovereignty and people of the Maldives.

National Day is celebrated on the first day of Rabi' al-awwal every year. The day is marked to commemorate the victory of Muhammad Thakurufaanu Al Auzam against the Portuguese invaders, ending a 15 year-long occupation of the Maldives in 1573.