COLOMBO: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu addressed a press convention for almost 15 hours, his workplace stated on Sunday, claiming it broke a earlier report held by Ukrainian chief Volodymyr Zelensky.
Muizzu, 46, started the marathon press convention at 10:00 am (0500 GMT) on Saturday, and it continued for 14 hours and 54 minutes with transient pauses for prayers, his workplace stated in an announcement.
“The convention prolonged previous midnight — a brand new world report by a president — with President Muizzu repeatedly responding to questions from journalists,” the assertion stated.
In October 2019, Ukraine’s Nationwide Information Company claimed that Zelensky’s 14-hour press convention had damaged an earlier report of over seven hours held by Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko.
The federal government of the Indian Ocean archipelago stated Muizzu’s prolonged session was additionally meant to coincide with World Press Freedom Day on Saturday.
“He acknowledged the essential position of the press in society and emphasised the significance of factual, balanced, and neutral reporting,” the assertion added.
Through the prolonged session, Muizzu additionally responded to questions submitted by members of the general public through journalists.
The assertion stated Muizzu, who got here to energy in 2023, was additionally marking his island nation’s rise by two locations to 104th out of 180 nations within the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, printed by Reporters With out Borders (RSF).
Throughout Saturday’s session, he answered a variety of questions, the assertion stated.
Round two dozen reporters attended and have been served meals.
A predecessor of Muizzu set one other world report by holding the first-ever underwater cupboard assembly in 2009, to spotlight the specter of rising sea ranges that might swamp the low-lying nation.
Former president Mohamed Nasheed plunged into the Indian Ocean adopted by his ministers, all in scuba gear, for a nationally televised assembly.
The Maldives is on the frontline of the battle in opposition to international warming, which might increase sea ranges and swamp the nation of 1,192 tiny coral islands scattered throughout the equator.
