Azeema appointed ambassador to India; Sareer to Saudi Arabia

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Wednesday appointed new Maldivian envoys to key bilateral partners; Aishath Azeema and the new ambassador to India, and Ahmed Sareer as the new ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Azeema and Sareer were presented with their letters of appointment in a ceremony held at the President’s Office on Wednesday morning.

Both Azeema and Sareer had received the backing of the Parliament for their new appointments with unanimous votes earlier this week. Azeema received approval with a unanimous vote of 79 on Monday, and Sareer received a unanimous vote of 86, a day later.

Azeema joined foreign service in 1988. She served as the Maldivian ambassador to China from June 2019 to September 2023. She also previously served as deputy ambassador of the Maldives to the UK, and in various senior capacities in the Foreign Ministry, including as an additional secretary and joint secretary.

She replaced Shaheeb, who was appointed as the ambassador to India on October 10, 2022.

Meanwhile, Sareer fills the vacancy left after the former ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Mohamed Thaha, was appointed as the ambassador to Pakistan in June.

Sareer joined the foreign service in 1986.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Canberra, Australia and a Master’s degree in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University, Australia.

Sareer previously served as the foreign secretary, as the permanent representative of the Maldives to the United Nations, as the Maldivian ambassador to the United States, and as the Maldivian ambassador to Bangladesh.

He also served at Foreign Ministry as assistant undersecretary, assistant director foreign relations, deputy director, director, assistant director general and director general.