Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel dismissed

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has dismissed Foreign Minister Dr. Abdulla Khaleel from his cabinet.

Sun has learnt that Khaleel was dismissed on Tuesday, and that he exited the Foreign Ministry headquarters a short while ago after announcing his dismissal to the staff.

Khaleel had originally served in the cabinet as the Health Minister, but was appointed as the Foreign Minister in a previous cabinet re-shuffle on September 30, 2024.

Khaleel’s dismissal comes as the Maldives faces criticism for its foreign policy, which critics believe has shifted away from its long-held neutral stand.

Poor diplomacy has been blamed for a plummeting in foreign aid, which the country sorely needs as it deals with a debt crisis.

The dismissal also comes in the wake of a major defeat for the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) in the recent local council elections and referendum, which saw the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) sweep a majority of seats in local councils.

President Muizzu conceded defeat in the elections, and promised to implement “reforms where needed.”

The days that followed have seen a series of resignations and dismissals rock the top management of state-owned enterprises, as well as the President’s Office, and now the cabinet itself.