Maldives' top diplomat lacks essential diplomatic qualities
Since the beginning of the incumbent administration, the appointed foreign ministers, other state ministers, and even the president himself have made numerous trips abroad, but have they been able to secure any free aid or budget support from any country other than India, against whom they so tirelessly worked to churn hatred? One might even wonder, was it MDP's fault that due to the incumbent’s incompetence, no development has been achieved, a budget of MVR 55 billion has been exhausted, and the people have been left disappointed and fed up with the administration? Is this why Khaleel should be angry at MDP?
Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Abdulla Khaleel speaking at a press conference
Many people in the Maldives have begun questioning whether Dr. Abdulla Khaleel, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, is the right fit for the role. His first trip to neighboring India after being appointed to the Cabinet seems to have paved the path for doubts about his qualifications and suitability for the position.
The interview he gave in English to India’s WION News during his first official visit to India provided an opportunity for Maldivians to criticize the foreign minister. Khaleel skillfully demonstrated that he lacks any diplomatic sense and is unsuitable to represent Maldivians in giving an interview in English.
While that was the case, as he was departing for an official trip to Saudi Arabia, he proved himself to be unsuitable for domestic politics as well. Before leaving for Saudi Arabia, he took to social media platform ‘X’ without any context or significant meaning, hurling insults at the country's largest opposition political party. If he has the courage, he can see how the public has responded by opening the comment section of the post.
Claiming that the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) is not a national party and has not done anything for the country's progress, Khaleel went on in his post uttering nonsense. Perhaps it was something he did to appease President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, driven by the fear that he might lose his position when he returns, as ministers are abruptly being dismissed. However, what he did is deemed by many as “unnecessary” and “irrelevant” for the country's top diplomat to do while heading overseas.
When Khaleel made the controversial post on X, he should have asked himself under whose hard work and efforts he was able to freely roam around the country, chanting "India Out" and uttering whatever he wanted against the then-administration.
One can only question whether it would have been better if he had recalled through whose vision and policy he and many of his family members got the opportunity to obtain flats when he wrote hateful things about the main opposition party. As he expressed whatever came to his mind and lowered his own value in front of the globe, it would have been decent if he had remembered through whose efforts in bringing multi-party democracy he got the opportunity to become a minister through a party called the People’s National Congress (PNC). While he continues to prove himself to be an incompetent diplomat both abroad and domestically, how good it would have been if he knew through whose social protection policy his family members are receiving medical treatment. While the incumbent administration has exhausted a budget of billions of Maldivian Rufiyaa as they pleased without benefiting the people, wouldn’t it be his shortcoming not to know through whose introduced tax system the country found such prosperity.
Since the beginning of the incumbent administration, the appointed foreign ministers, other state ministers, and even the president himself have made numerous trips abroad, but have they been able to secure any free aid or budget support from any country other than India, against whom they so tirelessly worked to churn hatred? One might even wonder, was it MDP's fault that due to the incumbent’s incompetence, no development has been achieved, a budget of MVR 55 billion has been exhausted, and the people have been left disappointed and fed up with the administration? Is this why Khaleel should be so frustrated with MDP?
The people beg you to accept it. You are in power.
The party Khaleel belongs to is in power. The president who came from your party is in power. Therefore, it is you who should pay the debts, develop the country, and find free aid. You are receiving salaries and gaining respect in return for that. It's not work you do for free. Even if you make trip after trip in expensive classes at the expense of the people, you cannot shift the blame to others when these efforts fail.
You are given the position of the country's top diplomat. Behave like diplomats do. Learn the intricacies of diplomacy. Try to fulfill the responsibility entrusted to you in one way or another.
Editor’s note: This is the translation of an original piece by Amir Saleem.
