Maldives appoints new envoys to Bangladesh, Pakistan and Türkiye

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has appointed new ambassadors to three foreign countries; Bangladesh, Pakistan and Türkiye.

The appointments were made in a ceremony held at the President’s Office on Wednesday.

Shiuneen Rasheed was appointed as the High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Lieutenant General (Retired) Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef as the Ambassador to Türkiye, and Mohamed Thoha as the High Commissioner to Pakistan.

According to the President’s Office, the appointments were made at state minister level.

Shiuneen had received parliamentary approval for her appointment with a vote of 35 on May 6.

Meanwhile, Abdul Raheem, the country’s former chief of defense force, along with Thoha received approval with a unanimous of vote of 82 each on Sunday.

Abdul Raheem had been promoted from the role of vice chief of defense force to the role of the chief of defense force on November 17, 2023.

He served the army for 39 years, and received an honorable discharge from military service on April 17, upon reaching 60 years of age.

Meanwhile, Thoha had originally been approved as the new ambassador to Saudi Arabia on May 6. But the president later decided to appoint him to neighboring Pakistan, instead. Thoha had unsuccessfully contested the primary of the main ruling People’s National Congress (PNC) held in January, for the Holhudhoo parliamentary seat.