Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid constitutes Foreign Service Advisory Board

05 August 2022

The Minister of Foreign Affairs His Excellency Abdulla Shahid has today constituted the Foreign Service Advisory Board, as stipulated in Article 60 of the Maldives Foreign Service Act (20/2021). The Foreign Service Advisory Board consists of Foreign Secretary His Excellency Ahmed Latheef as Chairperson of the Advisory Board, Mr. Ahmed Rasheed,[Karankaage, Shaviyani maaugoodhoo,] as member who had served the Foreign Service for more than 10 years and is no longer in the service, Additional Secretary Aminath Shifana as member from the Foreign Service Executive Staff, Joint Secretary Khadeeja Najeeha as Head of Foreign Service Institute of Maldives (FOSIM) and  Desk Officer Aminath Samra from Foreign Service General Staff.

The Maldives Foreign Service Act was ratified by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on 14 November 2021, and came into effect on 14 May 2022. The Maldives Foreign Service governs the establishment of a separate entity titled Foreign Service to implement the foreign policy of the Maldives and specifies its organisational structure, management policy, and matters relating to diplomatic cadre. The act also stipulates President as the highest authority tasked with overseeing and directing the Maldives' foreign policy.

The Foreign Service Advisory Board constituted today will function in providing advice to the Foreign Minister on matters related to foreign service regulations, organization structure and other matters of interest in strengthening the Maldives foreign service.

The first meeting of the Foreign Service Advisory Board was held today. Foreign Secretary Ahmed Latheef chaired the Advisory Board Meeting as the Chairperson.