I send my warmest greetings and felicitations to my fellow Maldivians, both abroad and at home, on the occasion of our Independence Day. It is an occasion that provides us with the opportunity to take stock of our past achievements and to determine the course for the pursuit of greater progress.

Periods of Prosperity
Our country has made remarkable progress since it gained independence on the 26th of July, forty three years ago. Our economy has grown steadily, our livelihoods have improved significantly and our standard of living has risen rapidly, over this short span of time. Behind this prosperity was the spirit of unity, solidarity and industry we had valued, protected and preserved as a society.

Today, as we celebrate the 43rd anniversary of our independence, we are beset by both internal and external events that are rocking the very pillars on which peace and prosperity had rested in our society. Although we have virtually no control over the external developments, we can, as a society, mould together the internal developments to suit the best interests of our society. That requires resilience on the part of our political parties to rise above partisan prejudices and engage in rational and constructive debate. That also requires resilience on the part of the Maldivian people so that the power of multi-party politics could be harnessed better for the common good of our society.

Internal Developments
Independence Day 2008 is greeting us amidst soaring hopes, rising expectations, growing concerns and mounting challenges. The 43rd anniversary of our independence comes at a historic time, as we eagerly await the ratification of our new Constitution adopted by the Peoples Special Majlis recently. This would introduce a fresh democratic infrastructure, and fuel the Government apparatus with positive change, as we embark on our very first multiparty Presidential election later this year. We are confident that these changes would build a more democratic and just society, erect a more responsible, accountable and transparent Government, eliminate corruption, promote human rights and build greater trust between the people and the Government.
As we strive towards these cherished goals, we should act responsibly and respect the rule of law. We must work harder and in concert. We must build our nation while preventing our enemies from bulldozing the core values, creed and customs of our society.

External Challenges
The internal challenges confronting us today are compounded and aggravated by external developments. As we remain anxious about the adverse impacts of climate change on our archipelago, our economy is being severely shaken by mounting fuel and food prices across the globe. In the distance, we see another marker, the graduation from the LDC status, which could pose serious challenges to our economy.

Sources of Hope and Strength

This challenging backdrop makes it imperative that we pledge, on this Independence Day 2008, to strengthen our faith in our society and in the resilience of our people. The differences in viewpoints among political parties, I am sure, reflect their prime concern for the well being of our country and our society. Certainly, we are a people capable of confronting the challenges and conquering them readily.

Our development partners have played a caring, constructive and crucial role in the progress we have achieved. We will continue to work with them in overcoming the impediments that surround us, and we will deepen our relations with our neighbours and the Muslim brethren who have been immensely helpful and sympathetic to us. Our relations with the international community have been expanded considerably in the past year, and we will continue to be more active in our engagement with them on issues of national and global interest.

Our forefathers have steered our nation steadily and safely through several severe storms. As we recall the sacrifices they made to deliver us a proud, vibrant and independent Maldives, we must resolve today to do the same for our posterity.

I wish all Maldivians abroad and at home a happy Independence Day.