Archive · 12 Oct 2026
Nasheed Warns Middle Powers Against Carving Up Influence
Mohamed Nasheed, a former president of the Maldives, spoke about countries that have growing but not world-dominating power.
He worries that these countries might make agreements about which parts of the world they can influence.
Smaller countries, he said, could then have little say in decisions affecting them.
He compared this possibility to European powers dividing Africa in the 19th century.
Nasheed made these comments at a conference called Sagarmanthan.
He said the United Nations should continue to exist and help prevent a return to older ways of dividing power.
Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed voiced concern about middle powers aligning.
He warned they could divide the world into spheres of influence, leaving smaller countries with little say.
Nasheed compared the risk to European powers dividing Africa in the 19th century, including at the 1884–85 Berlin Conference.
He made the remarks at the Sagarmanthan conference, organised by the Observer Research Foundation and India’s Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways.
Nasheed urged middle powers not to meet to divide influence and said the United Nations must survive.
- Who
- Former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed.
- What
- Nasheed warned that middle powers could carve out spheres of influence, reducing smaller countries’ say.
- When
- At a session of the Sagarmanthan conference; the article does not specify the date.
- Where
- At the Sagarmanthan conference; the article does not specify its location.
- Why
- Nasheed said smaller countries are concerned that middle powers could divide influence among themselves.
Nasheed’s concerns
Middle powers’ role
Alignment among middle powers
Nasheed’s concerns
Nasheed warned that middle powers meeting together could carve out spheres of influence and leave smaller countries with little say.
Middle powers’ role
The article describes middle powers as countries using growing influence to play a larger role in shaping global affairs; it does not include a response from those countries to Nasheed’s warning.
- Speaker
- Mohamed Nasheed, former president of the Maldives
- Event
- Sagarmanthan conference
- Organisers
- Observer Research Foundation and the Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways
- Historical comparison
- European powers dividing Africa in the 19th century
- Referenced event
- Berlin Conference of 1884–85
- Nasheed's call
- He urged middle powers not to divide influence and said the United Nations must survive.