Ibrahim Waheed appointed new minister at President’s Office

Maldivian Democratic Party’s (MDP) deputy chairperson Ibrahim Waheed (Iburey) has been appointed as a new minister at the President’s Office on Wednesday.

The President’s Office said that Waheed was presented his letter of appointment during a ceremony held at the office on Wednesday afternoon.

Waheed earlier served as the chairman of the National Social Protection Agency (NSPA) from April 2009 to February 2012 and as the Financial Executive and State Minister for the Ministry of Health and Family from February 2011 to February 2012.

He also served as the Company Secretary for the Maldives Stock Exchange (MSE) from September 2007 to March 2018, and Deputy Managing Director and member of the Board of Directors of FENAKA Corporation.

Waheed’s appointment comes shortly after the dismissal of Mohamed Shifaz from his post as a minister at the President’s Office.

Shifaz, a deputy leader of the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), was appointed as a minister at the President’s Office after President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih took office in 2018. He had previously served as the Baarah MP.

Shifaz’s dismissal comes amid the widening rift within MDP, with the party’s leader Mohamed Nasheed’s allies engaging in negotiations with Jumhoory Party (JP) for a potential coalition for the upcoming presidential election. Shifaz is one of Nasheed’s closest allies, and has taken a lead role in Nasheed’s ‘Fikuregge Dhirun’ movement.

Notably, Waheed, during MDP’s internal election to elect a chairperson, had supported Economic Minister Fayyaz Ismail, who was endorsed by President Solih.