Dhiyana appointed as Maldives’ ambassador to Belgium and the EU

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has appointed former attorney general Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed as the Maldives’ new ambassador to Belgium and the European Union (EU).

She was presented with her letter of appointment in a ceremony on Monday morning at the President’s Office.

President Muizzu had nominated Dhiyana for the role earlier in July, after former ambassador Geela Ali was appointed as health minister as part of a major cabinet reshuffle back in April.

She secured the Parliament’s backing with a unanimous vote of 52 last week.

Dhiyana, along with former Local Government Minister Adam Shareef Umar and former Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim, the latter two of whom were dismissed from the cabinet as part of the same reshuffle, were appointed to the role of ambassador-at-large at the Foreign Ministry in April.

Adam Shareef was appointed as ambassador to Qatar, and Thoriq as ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in June.

Dhiyana holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Tasmania in Australia, a Master of Laws (Law and Political Science) from Osaka University in Japan, and a Master of Laws (International Human Rights Law) from the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom.

Dhiyana had served as attorney general in former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration, and as gender minister during former President Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik’s administration.

She also served as secretary general of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), as well as a member of the People's Majlis, and member of the People’s Special Majlis.