President Reaffirms the Government’s Commitment to People Led Development

President Mohamed Nasheed has launched the United Nations Development Programme’s 20th anniversary edition of its annual Human Development Report for 2010 in the Maldives today. 

Speaking after launching the report at a function held at Trader’s Hotel Male’ this morning, President Nasheed said the government did not believe that development should be led by the state. But rather, he said the development should be led by the people.

“This is why our programme for government is based on our discussions with the people”, he added.

Human Development Index, indicator of human development is based on health, education and income of countries. However, the report suggests that human development is not only about health, education and income. It says that people’s engagement in development, equity and sustainability are “intrinsic aspects of the freedom people have to lead lives they have reason to value.”

Alluding to the government’s commitment to empower people to engage in development and equality among peoples, the President said empowerment and creation of an environment where people could “live the good life” was one over-riding motive of the democratic reform movement that led to his administration.

“It was through this empowered citizenry that political change came about”, the President recalled.

He further added “it is through our empowered citizens that we shall bring the social and economic changes that this country needs.”

Noting that economic and human development should take place concurrently, the President said:

“In addition to being politically empowered, we want people to be economically empowered and to be able to stand up on their own two feet.”

He highlighted both social and economic development programmes the government was currently undertaking towards achieving its objective. 

The President spoke on the government programmes to facilitate enterprise opportunities for people and intra-atoll transport networks to increase mobility of goods and people, as well as the government’s social security programme.

In addition, the President also revealed that the government had submitted the 2011 budget to the People’s Majlis.

On the budget, he said the next year’s budget represented a major innovation in the country. 

He said, for the first time, the budget was based on the programmes that correspond to policies articulated in the government’s Strategic Action Plan.

“It represents budgeting for programmes, rather than programming for budgets”, he added.

This year’s report places the Maldives 107th of 169 countries in Human Development Index ranking. It represents an increase of 4 places from the 2005 position.