Seasoned diplomat Saleem receives highest honor in Maldives foreign service

Long-serving Maldivian diplomat and statesman, Ahmed Saleem, has been conferred with the Most Distinguished Foreign Service Medal – the highest honor in Maldivian Foreign Service.

Saleem, who currently serves as the Ambassador-at-large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was conferred the honor by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu during the official function held on Sunday morning to mark Maldives’ 60th Independence Day.

He was presented a medal, a plaque, and a certificate.

Saleem has been served the state for 55 years, and the Foreign Service for 35, throughout seven different administrations.

According to the President’s Office, Saleem was conferred the  Most Distinguished Foreign Service Medal in recognition of his efforts to uphold the Maldives’ highest interests, strengthen ties between the Maldives and other countries and international organizations, and acknowledge his role in the assistance and cooperation received by various associations and organizations in the Maldives, as well as the foreign service-related assistance he gave to the citizens of the Maldives and the work he does to develop the Foreign Service in the country further.

Saleem enlisted in the Maldivian Foreign Service in 1968, holding numerous posts throughout his long public service.

Early in his career, Saleem held important portfolios within the Foreign Service, such as those of the Chief of Protocol, Head of Multilateral Department, and Controller of Immigration.

He also served in Maldives’ diplomatic missions including in Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal and the Permanent Mission to the UN.

He served as the first Maldives Director in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat from 1990 to 1993, and in 2012, Saleem was appointed as the 11th Secretary-General of SAARC.

Saleem served in other capacities outside the Foreign Service as well, in the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education, Department of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Youth, Women’s Affairs and Sports, and the Ministry of Transport.

During his deputation to the Ministry of Finance as Under-Secretary in 1977, he also served as the first Maldives’ Alternate Governor to the World Bank, IDA and ADB.

Saleem was one of the original nine members when the first Human Rights Commission of the Maldives (HRCM) was established by a presidential decree in 2003. He later served as President of the HRCM from 2006 to 2010, after it became an autonomous body by law.

Saleem has traveled extensively and also attended numerous meetings of the UN including several General Assembly sessions and the Commonwealth, OIC, the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), SAARC and many other multilateral and regional meetings.

Saleem is a strong advocate for human rights and democracy, and played a key role during the democratic transition of the Maldives. 

As President of the HRCM he oversaw the country’s first democratic multi-party elections in 2008. He is credited with raising awareness domestically, on democracy and Maldives’ international human rights obligations, and has been a strong advocate for multilateralism in the global sphere.

Saleem is also a keen sportsman and athlete, having played cricket, football and tennis at national level tournaments. He is also a prolific writer and has contributed numerous articles and publications on regional and international affairs.

Saleem, who plans to retire soon, described being conferred the Most Distinguished Foreign Service Medal as a huge honor.