Committee deliberates approval for new Foreign Minister

People’s Majlis Government Oversight Committee has started deliberating over giving the new Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohamed Asim approval.

The case was sent to Government Oversight Committee on Monday.

Dr. Asim was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs last Wednesday after Dhunya Maumoon resigned on July 5 over differences with the government’s current official stand on capital punishment.

Asim – who had been serving as Maldivian High Commissioner to Bangladesh – was brought back to Maldives last Tuesday night, and handed his letter of appointment as the new Minister of Foreign Affairs by President Abdulla Yameen the very next morning.

Asim holds a PhD in Political Science and International Relations from Australian National University, and a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from California State University.

He has vast experience in the area of foreign relations, having served as Maldivian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, UK and Pakistan, and working as Maldivian Ambassador to European communities.

He also served as Additional Secretary of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and ambassador of State of Maldives.

Before joining the foreign service on October 24, 2004, he filled top posts at the President’s Office including as Presidential Aide, Director of Employment Affairs and Director-General of Employment Affairs.