Cablegate: Maldives: President Goyoom Announces Cabinet

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS COLOMBO 001954

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

FOR SA/INS AND INR/NESA

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINR PHUM MV UN
SUBJECT: Maldives: President Goyoom announces cabinet
changes and new diplomatic appointments

1. (U) This message is Sensitive but Unclassified --
Please handle accordingly.

2. (U) In an October 9 announcement, Maldivian President
Maumoon Gayoom announced changes to his cabinet, and
appointed new ambassadors to Sri Lanka and the UN.
Please see Para four for a complete listing of the new
appointments.

3. (SBU) Mission has carefully reviewed Gayoom's
announcement and has the following comments re the
selections:

-- Of particular note was the appointment of Raashida
Yoosuf as the High Commissioner to Sri Lanka. Yoosuf
was the Minister of Women's Affairs and Social Welfare
at the time of her appointment. She is reportedly the
first woman ever chosen to be a Maldivian ambassador.
(Note: The Sri Lanka high commissioner slot is an
important one for the Maldives, which transacts much
commercial and other business out of Colombo. The
selection of Yoosuf follows in the wake of Gayoom's
naming of the first woman as Atoll Chief last year.
Atoll Chief is an influential position in the Maldives.)

-- Yoosuf's predecessor as high commissioner in Sri
Lanka, Abdul Azeez, has been named Deputy Minister of
Housing. Azeez, the former dean of Colombo's diplomatic
corps, had served in Sri Lanka for years.

-- Also of note was the appointment of Mohamed Latheef
as the Ambassador to the UN. Latheef is leaving his
position as Minister of Education, which he held for
nine years, to take his position at the UN. Both
Yoosuf's and Latheef's positions are cabinet-level. We
understand that the GoRM is preparing a formal request
to have Mr. Latheef co-accredited to the U.S.

4. (U) Following are the appointments to the Maldivian
cabinet and diplomatic corps that were announced on
October 9:

-- Aneesa Ahmed was appointed Minister of Women's
Affairs and Social Security. She was formally the
Deputy Minister in this ministry;

-- Abdul Azeez was appointed Deputy Minister of Home
Affairs, Housing and Environment. He was formally the
Ambassador to Sri Lanka;

-- Midhat Hilmy was appointed Minister of Communication,
Science and Technology. He was formally the Deputy
Minister in this ministry;

-- Mohamed Latheef was appointed Ambassador to the UN.
He was the Minister of Education;

-- Ismail Shafeeu was appointed Minister of Education.
He was formally the Minister of Home Affairs, Housing
and Environment;

-- Mahmood Shaugy was appointed Deputy Minister of
Education. He was formally the Assistant Director
General in this ministry;

-- Raashida Yoosuf was appointed Ambassador to Sri
Lanka. She was the Minister of Women's Affairs and
Social Welfare.

Wills

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