Abdulla Shahid

Abdulla Shahid (Dhivehi: ޢަބްދުﷲ ޝާހިދު) is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs for the Maldives as of the 2018 election.[4]

Abdulla Shahid އަބްދުﷲ ޝާހިދު
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Incumbent
Assumed office 17 November 2018
President	Ibrahim Mohamed Solih
Preceded by	Mohamed Asim
In office 23 August 2007 – 11 November 2008
President	Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom
Preceded by	Ahmed Shaheed
Succeeded by	Ahmed Shaheed
16th Speaker of the People's Majlis[1]
In office 28 May 2008 – 28 May 2014
President	Mohamed Nasheed Mohammed Waheed Hassan Abdulla Yameen
Preceded by	Mohamed Shihab
Succeeded by	Abdulla Maseeh Mohamed
Member of Parliament for Henveiru Uthuru constituency
In office 28 May 2014 – 14 November 2018
Member of Parliament for Keyodhoo constituency
In office 28 May 2008 – 28 May 2014
President’s Member to the Special Majlis
President’s Member to the People’s Majlis
Vaavu Atoll Member to the Special Majlis
Executive Secretary to the President
Personal details
Nationality	Maldivian
Political party	MDP[2][3]
Children	1 Daughter and 2 sons
Alma mater	Canberra College of Advanced Education, Australia Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, USA

He served as the Speaker of the People’s Majlis of the Maldives from 2009 to 2014.[1] He was elected as the Speaker of the People’s Majlis on 28 May 2009, the seventeenth holder of the position.[5] He won 42 votes out of 75 votes. Shahid played a key role in the Maldives’ transition to democracy in 2008. [6] Abdulla Shahid is a member of MDP and is the parliament member for Henveiru Uthuru.

Prior to his role as an MP, Abdulla Shahid served in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1984,eventually becoming Director. In this capacity he also headed the International Organizations and Conferences Department, representing the Maldives at meetings and international gatherings including the United Nations, the Commonwealth, Non-Aligned Movement and the Organization of Islamic Conference.

In 2000 he was elected as the Representative of the Vaavu Atoll constituency and served two terms as the Atoll’s Member. Shahid served in the Special Majlis (July 2004-Aug 2008) which drafted the new Constitution of the Maldives. In May 2009, in the first multi-party parliamentary elections of the Maldives, Shahid won the Keyodhoo Constituency.

Shahid previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 23 August 2007 to 11 November 2008[5] in the presidency of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom. He had been appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in 2005.

On 15 April Shahid resigned from the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party.[3] On 18 April 2013 he announced on Twitter that he had signed for MDP.[7] [8]

Shahid holds a bachelor's degree in Social Science (Politics) from the Canberra College of Advanced Education, and a master's degree in International Relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.[8]

References

1. "Kuryge raeesun" (in Divehi). Majlis. 6 January 2019. Archived from the original on 6 January 2019. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
2. "Speaker Shahid joins MDP". Sun Online. April 18, 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
3. "Speaker Shahid ends speculation, announces MDP switch". Haveeru Online. April 18, 2013. Archived from the original on April 21, 2013. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
4. "The President's Office". presidency.gov.mv. Archived from the original on 2019-01-02. Retrieved 2019-01-01.
5. "The Honorable Abdulla Shahid, MP, the Speaker of People's Majlis". Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
6. "Opposition members elected to position of Majlis Speaker, Deputy Speaker". Haveeru Daily. Maldives. May 30, 2009. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved September 28, 2012.
7. "Twitter/ @abdulla_shahid". Twitter.com. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
8. "His Excellency Mr. Abdulla Shahid,MP A Biographical Note". Foreign Ministry of Maldives. Archived from the original on August 11, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2012.