Strategic Foresight Workshop: Building Capacity for the National Development Plan - Opening Remarks by Mr. Hao Zhang, UN Resident Coordinator in Maldives

Strategic Foresight Workshop, which marks an important step in the Maldives' preparation of its long-term National Development Plan.

Excellencies, distinguished guests, colleagues, and friends,

Good morning.

It is a privilege to open this Strategic Foresight Workshop, which marks an important step in the Maldives' preparation of its long-term National Development Plan.

The Maldives is embarking on this journey at a decisive moment. The country has achieved remarkable economic and social progress, yet it faces structural challenges that require careful attention: reliance on tourism, fiscal pressures and profound climate vulnerability. Meeting these challenges calls for more than short-term solutions. It requires long-term development planning that looks decades ahead and ensures resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability.

This is where strategic foresight becomes indispensable. Strategic foresight is not about predicting what will happen. It is about exploring what could happen, identifying risks and opportunities, and equipping policymakers to make decisions that stand the test of time for all possible futures.

The purpose of this workshop is twofold. First, to support the formulation of the long-term National Development Plan. And second, to strengthen institutional capacity for strategic foresight and planning within key government agencies.

Over the coming three days, the sessions will bring together public officials across ministries, help generate insights and build skills that will directly support the upcoming island-level consultations, feed into the broader national development planning process, and ensure coherence across government.

We have seen the benefits of such exercises in the region. Earlier this year, ESCAP supported Viet Nam in applying foresight to develop its Vision 2045 report. That experience shows how futures thinking can broaden policy space and inspire bold, yet practical, strategies.

What makes this process unique for Maldives is the Government's commitment to broad public consultation, seeking to engage as many residents as possible. It sends a strong message that the Maldives' future is a shared national endeavor - one that belongs to all Maldivians, both today and in the generations to come.

Looking ahead, this workshop forms part of a broader collaboration. The UN Maldives, with technical assistance from ESCAP is proud to support this effort. We will continue to draw on international expertise, facilitate regional knowledge exchange, and work closely with Maldivian partners to co-create a vision that embodies resilience, inclusiveness, and ambition. I want to commend the Ministry of Finance and Planning for its leadership, and ESCAP for its strong technical partnership in convening this workshop.

Ladies and Gentleman, as we mark the 60^th anniversary of Maldives membership in the UN and the 80^th anniversary of UN, I encourage all participants to use this time to think boldly, to challenge assumptions, and to imagine a more resilient future for the Maldives. The ideas you generate here will become the foundation of a plan that guides the Maldives through the next twenty years and beyond.

Thank you.