Parliament backs Thoriq for appointment as Maldives’ representative to IRENA

The Parliament on Wednesday approved former Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim for appointment as the permanent representative of Maldives to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).

The letter by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, nominating Thoriq, who currently serves as Maldivian ambassador for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), for the dual role, was sent to the Parliament on July 28, and subsequently sent to the Foreign Relations Committee for review.

He secured the Parliament’s backing with a unanimous vote of 57 on Wednesday morning.

Thoriq served as environment minister in three different Maldivian administrations – in Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik’s administration, in Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s administration, and most recently, in incumbent President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration.

Thoriq had been part of President Muizzu’s original 22-member cabinet. He was initially appointed as the environment minister, and then as environment and tourism minister after the two ministries were merged in February 2025.

But he, along with nine other ministers, were asked to resign on April 14 as part of a major cabinet reshuffle in the wake of the ruling party’s defeat in local council elections earlier that month.

Thoriq was later appointed as an ambassador-at-large, a minister-level position within the Foreign Ministry. And in June, he was appointed as the Maldivian ambassador in the UAE.

IRENA is an intergovernmental organization that supports countries in their transition to a sustainable energy future. The Maldives has been an active member of the organization since its formation in 2009.