The Foreign Service Advisory Board has been constituted.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid constituted the Foreign Service Advisory Board on Wednesday.

The constitution of the board is stipulated in Article 60 of the Maldives Foreign Service Act (20/2021).

The Foreign Service Advisory Board consists of Foreign Secretary Ahmed Latheef as Chairperson, Additional Secretary Aminath Shifana as a member from the Foreign Service Executive Staff, Joint Secretary Khadeeja Najeeha as Head of Foreign Service Institute of Maldives (FOSIM) and Desk Officer Aminath Samra from Foreign Service General Staff.

The board also chose Ahmed Rasheed, native of Maaugoodhoo island in Shaviyani atoll as a member who had served the Foreign Service for more than 10 years and is no longer in the service.

The first meeting of the Foreign Service Advisory Board was held on Wednesday.

Foreign Secretary Ahmed Latheef chaired the Advisory Board Meeting as the Chairperson.

The Foreign Service Advisory Board will function to provide advice to the foreign minister on matters related to foreign service regulations, organization structure and other matters of interest in strengthening the Maldives Foreign Service.

The Maldives Foreign Service Act, ratified by President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on 14 November 2021, came into effect on 14 May 2022. The bill was passed by the People’s Majlis during the 31st sitting of the third session of 2021 on October 27.

The bill had mandated the establishment of a separate entity named “Foreign Service” in order to implement the foreign policy of the Maldives. It also specifies the entity’s organizational structure, management policy and matter revolving around the diplomatic unit.

As such, upon implementation, the act mandated the establishment of an entirely separate institution titled “Maldives Foreign Service”. The institution was to be established within 90 days after the act comes into effect and is supposed to consist of executive service staff and general service staff.

All of the functions of the institution under the ministry will be transformed into an institute empowered under the act, once it is enacted.

Further, the bill highlights that the institution will represent the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and oversee all Maldivian missions and consular posts.

The president is the highest authority tasked with overseeing and directing the Maldives foreign policy, according to the act, which goes on to authorize the minister to manage the daily execution of the service under the instructions of the president.