UN General Assembly
2009

and fishery exports, the Maldives has suffered badly from the current global recession. Moreover, since assuming office, we have come to understand that, in the run-up to last year’s election, the former regime engaged in highly irresponsible economic policies in the hope of buying their way to victory. Add to this picture our continued efforts to recovery from the 2004 tsunami, our impending graduation from the least developed country category and the high oil and food prices of recent years, and the scale of the economic challenge facing the new Government becomes very apparent. The new Government is determined to confront this challenge with honesty and with vigour. In consultation with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, we have embarked on a programme of major economic reform designed to reduce the bloated public sector, privatize public utilities and promote private enterprise and trade. Yet the scale of the problems we face means we cannot succeed on our own. We therefore look to our friends in the international community to help us get back on