Dr. Farhanaz presents her credentials to Queen Elizabeth II

The Maldivian Ambassador to the UK, Dr. Farhanaz Faisal has presented her credentials to Queen Elizabeth II.

Dr. Farhanaz called on Queen Elizabeth II at the Buckingham Palace to present her credentials last Tuesday.

The presentation of credentials was followed by a reception held at the Hyatt Regency London – Churchill Hotel which was attended by over 100 guests of High Commissioners of Commonwealth countries, Ambassadors of SAARC countries, members of Maldives UK All Party Parliamentary Group, senior UK government officials, think tanks, media, Maldivian citizens who reside in the UK, and other stake holders.

In her remarks at the reception, Dr. Farhanaz expressed her hope for the Maldives’ application for reentry into the Commonwealth to be fast-tracked. She also thanked the Commonwealth member states and the UK government for their continued support.

Dr. Farhanaz was accompanied by her spouse Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Didi, trade representative Mohamed Nazeer, and First Secretary Ismail Mamdhooh.

Dr. Farhanaz had secured the support of the Parliament for her nomination to the position of Ambassador to the UK on December 12, 2018, but her official appointment hadn’t come until five months later due to the fact that she enjoyed dual UK-Maldives citizenship. She was appointed on April 18, 2019 after she rescinded her dual citizenship.

Though she hadn’t presented her credentials to the Queen until last Tuesday, a copy of her credentials was presented to the Director of Protocol and Vice-Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Neil Holland, in May.

The granddaughter of Maldives’ first President Mohamed Ameen Dhoshimeyna Kilegefaanu, Dr. Farhanaz obtained her PhD in political science from the University of Hull in UK – making history by becoming the first Maldivian woman to obtain a PhD.

She also has a long record in foreign service including; as Maldivian Ambassador to the UK during former President Mohamed Nasheed’s administration, and as Non-Residential Maldivian Ambassador to Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, Spain, and Sweden.