COLOMBO: Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu addressed a press convention for practically 15 hours, his workplace mentioned on Sunday, claiming it broke a earlier file 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 temporary pauses for prayers, his workplace mentioned in a press release.
“The convention prolonged previous midnight — a brand new world file by a president — with President Muizzu constantly responding to questions from journalists,” the assertion mentioned.
In October 2019, Ukraine’s Nationwide Information Company claimed that Zelensky’s 14-hour press convention had damaged an earlier file of over seven hours held by Belarusian strongman Alexander Lukashenko.
The federal government of the Indian Ocean archipelago mentioned Muizzu’s prolonged session was additionally supposed 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 by way of journalists.
The assertion mentioned Muizzu, who got here to energy in 2023, was additionally marking his island nation’s rise by two locations to 104th out of 180 international locations within the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, revealed by Reporters With out Borders (RSF).
Throughout Saturday’s session, he answered a variety of questions, the assertion mentioned.
Round two dozen reporters attended and have been served meals.
A predecessor of Muizzu set one other world file 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 world warming, which might increase sea ranges and swamp the nation of 1,192 tiny coral islands scattered throughout the equator.
