In an address at the ITB Berlin, President Mohamed Nasheed has said that the Maldives tourism industry was resilient to shocks mainly because the government kept itself out of business in the industry. He then reiterated that the government must only play the role of a regulator. While the tourism industry had felt the impacts of global economic downturns, the President said, the industry always “bounced back fairly quickly”. He added that the Maldives’ tourism was affected by the recent global economic crisis, although that it was now on the road to recovery. “Already tourist arrivals are going up and demand is good. Many resorts are fully booked,” he said. He also said international investors were confident of the Maldives’ tourism industry and as a result international chains were continuing to do business in the Maldives. Speaking to an audience of tour operators, representatives from Maldives tourism industry, and representatives from other countries, the President discussed government’s plans to expand the industry. He emphasised that in making and implementing new plans, the government would always consult with the private sector. “We will listen to the industry and continue to keep the Maldives [an attractive place] for everyone to visit.” In his address, the President also highlighted the impacts of climate change on tourism. The government and the people in the industry were committed to make tourism a sustainable industry, he said. The address was given at the Berlin tourism fair grounds on Thursday.

In a lecture at the Freie University of Berlin, President Mohamed Nasheed has said the climate deniers are obstructing the momentum on tackling climate change, and the global leadership on climate change is ebbing away. Attacking the scepticism fuelled by the ‘Climate-gate’ story, the President said in a huge 1,000-page IPCCC report, there could be few errors, but which did not negate the other 999 pages of evidence. Stating that there was “a diabolical plan…to cloud the scientific evidence”, he said there were deniers everywhere, from governments to businesses and even in parliaments. The President said, “I will tell these people please visit the Maldives and have a look at what is happening to our beaches, our coral reefs, to the ocean”. In his lecture, which was attended by students, policymakers and scientists, President Nasheed said “we cannot choose to live in the Age of Stupid”, adding that the world needed to keep up the momentum from Copenhagen. He lamented that some countries that helped make the Accord are now distancing themselves from it, and said we could not treat [climate change] as just another negotiation. The President also urged EU countries to show greater leadership on climate change, and called on the EU countries to aim for 1.5 degree rise, stating that a 2 degree temperature rise could be catastrophic. In the lecture, which also focused on the democratic reform efforts in the Maldives, the President urged the world not to give up on climate change. “We must not betray our children. We must not let the deniers win,” he said.

As part of his visit to Germany, President Mohamed Nasheed participated in a tourism evening, Maldivian Night, organised by the Maldives Tourism Promotion Board on Wednesday. At the function, which was attended by major tour operators and the media, the President discussed recent performance of the tourism industry. After a downturn in previous months, the President said, tourist arrival rate was now picking up. He praised the private sector for the “hard work done” in making the industry strong and resilient. The government, he said, wanted to be out of the business and facilitate its growth as a regulator. At the function, the President launched a new tourism advert focused on environmental preservation, which was made in association with the National Geographic Channel. President Nasheed is visiting Germany at the invitation by German Chancellor Angel Merkel and to attend the ITB tourism fair.

President Mohamed Nasheed, in his weekly radio address will give his views on the Amendment Bill on the Armed Forces Act. In addition he will also highlight ongoing visit to Germany. This week’s radio address will be broadcast on Voice of Maldives at 10 o’clock, tomorrow morning.

Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed has today met with Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. The meeting was held this morning at the President’s Office. Speaking at the meeting Dr Chan said that the Maldives has done very well in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. She also said the government’s response to H1N1 was “commendable”. She said that WHO was prepared to assist the government in facing the new challenges in terms of healthcare. In this regard, Dr Chen said that WHO could assist the Maldives in training healthcare professionals. Vice President noted that WHO was a key developmental partner in the Maldives and thanked the WHO for all the support and assistances for the Maldives. He said that non-communicable diseases were a greater concern now in the Maldives, and that providing treatments to such diseases was a bigger challenge. The meeting was also attended by Minister of Health and Family, Dr Aminath Jameel.

President Mohamed Nasheed has called on the public to make climate change an election issue. He made this statement at a press conference at ITB Berlin fair. He added that in democracies, governments would do only what the people demand from them and that climate change issue should now be one of the key demands of the people. On why tourists should come to the Maldives, President Nasheed said that the high level services provided in the Maldives are exemplary and that the Maldives is a naturally unique destination. Apart from the President, Minister of Tourism, Art and Culture, Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad and the Vice Chairman of MATI, Mr Hussain Afeef also took questions from the media.

President Mohamed Nasheed has sent a message of condolence to Egyptian President on hearing about the news of the passing away of the Grand Imam of the al-Azhar mosque and head of the al-Azhar University, Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi. The President’s message reads as follows: Quote: “I was deeply saddened by the news of the passing away of Sheikh Mohammed Sayed Tantawi. Sheikh Tantawi was a strong voice for the universal Islamic values of peace and tolerance. His death therefore is a great loss not only to your country and al-Azhar University, but also to all those moderate voices in Islam. On this sad occasion, the people and the Government of the Maldives join me in sending our sincere sympathies to you, the Government, and the people of Egypt. Please convey our deep condolences to Sheikh Tantawi's family.” Unquote:

Special Envoy of the President, Mr Ibrahim Hussain Zaki, who is currently on an official visit to Japan, has met with Japanese officials. Mr Zaki met with Japanese State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Minister of Environment, Director General of International Corporation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Secretary General of Japan-Maldives Parliamentary League and the Japanese Senior Vice Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry. Mr Zaki also met with the officials from Japanese Democratic Party and Liberal Democratic Party. The purpose of this visit is to discuss bilateral relations between the two countries and about the Donor Conference to be held in the Maldives.

President Mohamed Nasheed, last evening, attended the official opening ceremony of ITB 2010. As many as 11,127 exhibitors gathered on Tuesday for the world's leading travel trade show known as the International Tourism Bourse (ITB). Travel destinations, tour operators, booking systems, carriers, hotels and other service providers and suppliers were represented at the fair. The Maldives Tourism Promotion Board (MTPB) and representatives from tourism related companies in the Maldives participated at the ITB.

During his ongoing visit to Germany, President Mohamed Nasheed met with Dr Werner Hoyer, German minister of state at the Federal Foreign Office, on Tuesday. Discussions were mainly focused on cooperating in addressing climate change and bilateral relations. Both the President and minister of state emphasised the importance of binding global climate treaty. President Nasheed informed Dr Hoyer that the Maldives was in touch with other countries, including AOSIS members, to ensure that a common understanding was reached before the UN climate summit in Mexico. Germany, Dr Hoyer told the President, was working with other EU members to reach a common ground on climate change issues. At the meeting, President Nasheed also discussed other areas of possible cooperation, particularly strengthening the Maldives’ legal and judicial sectors. He sought German assistance to strengthen the institutional capacity of those sectors.