Palestine gets WHO membership with Maldives' support

Maldives has welcomed Palestine's membership with the World Health Organization (WHO), having participated in voting and advocating for it.

At the current 77th World Health Assembly, 101 countries voted to grant Palestine membership.

Palestine's full membership in the World Health Organization (WHO) is an important step towards establishing peace, President Mohammed Muizzu said on Sunday.

In a post on 'X', the President said that Maldives was among the 101 countries that voted to grant Palestine membership in the WHO, symbolising the Maldivian call for the rights of Palestine and its people.

Maldives will always advocate for the right of Palestine and raise its voice in international organisations, he said.

Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer also took to 'X' and said that Maldives co-sponsored the resolution granting Palestine full membership in the WHO and Sunday's historic decision shows that the majority of countries in the world want Palestine to remain a separate state.

“Maldives will always support and raise its voice for Palestine to remain an independent and sovereign state,” he said, noting that Maldives calls for full membership of Palestine in all international organisations.

Even if Palestine is granted WHO membership, they will not be able to participate in the votes cast in the organisation. However, they will be able to sit in meetings with other countries and co-sponsor their right to speak up and co-sponsor their commitments and proposals.