Financial Risks to Small Islands Outlined by MMA Governor at Asian Regional Forum
- MMA Governor Ahmed Munawar addressed the ADB's 2026 Asian Regional Forum in Hanoi, Vietnam, on reserve management challenges.
- He highlighted how external shocks, rising import prices, and foreign exchange pressures threaten Small Island Developing States like the Maldives.
- Munawar urged central banks to maintain liquidity buffers, strengthen policy coordination, and adopt flexible reserve management strategies.
The Governor of the Maldives Monetary Authority (MMA), Ahmed Munawar, addressed delegates at the Asian Development Bank’s 2026 Asian Regional Forum on Investment Management of Foreign Exchange Reserves in Hanoi, Vietnam, highlighting the pressing financial hurdles confronting small island nations.
In his presentation, titled “Trends and Challenges in Reserve Management in Times of Geopolitical and Macroeconomic Uncertainty”, Governor Munawar outlined how global volatile conditions affect Small Island Developing States. Drawing directly from the Maldivian economic experience, he pointed out that external economic shocks, rising import prices, and sustained pressures on foreign exchange reserves continue to test regional economic stability.
To counter these systemic vulnerabilities, Governor Munawar advocated for central banks to maintain adequate liquidity buffers capable of absorbing sudden international shocks. He also stressed the necessity of strengthening policy coordination across relevant authorities and adopting flexible reserve management strategies to help island economies navigate broader global instability.
Rushaha Ahmed Shareef, Senior Manager of the Foreign Exchange Division at the MMA, accompanied Governor Munawar and participated in the forum’s sessions alongside regional central bank representatives and financial policy experts.
