The People’s Majlis has approved the appointment of Aminath Shauna as the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology.

While a vote on the matter was held during Tuesday’s parliamentary sitting, 57 lawmakers voted in favour of her appointment. Eight said no while one abstained from the vote.

The eight parliamentarians that voted against Shauna’s appointment are; Eydhafushi constituency MP Ahmed Saleem, Maavah constituency MP Mohamed Saeed, Mahibadhoo constituency MP Ahmed Thoriq, Maduvvari constituency MP Adam Shareef, Naifaru constituency MP Ahmed Shiyam, Felidhoo constituency MP Ibrahim Fazul Rasheed, Guraidhoo constituency MP Mohamed Ghassaan Maumoon and Faresmaathodaa constituency MP Hussain Mohamed Latheef.

While the parliament’s government oversight committee reviewed her appointment, its report noted that Shauna meets the requirements for the appointment to the cabinet. She was approved by the committee with the support of all members that partook in the vote.

Prior to her appointment as the Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, Shauna served as a Policy Secretary at the President’s Office. She served as undersecretary at the Policy Department of the President’s Office from 2008 to 2012.

The appointment came with other changes made to the cabinet on May 5, following President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s decision to dismiss Zaha Waheed as the Minister of Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture. Shauna was appointed the ministry after moving then-Environment Minister Dr. Hussain Rasheed Hassan to the Fisheries Ministry. Changes were brought to the names of the ministries as well.

Shauna has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Environmental Science and Economics from Westminster College, Missouri, USA.