President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has on Thursday, appointed nine new Ministers of State.

The President presented all nine appointees with letters of appointment at a ceremony held at the President’s Office on Thursday afternoon.

They were appointed to nine ministries.

The appointments are as follows:

1. Hassan Shujau as Minister of State for Home Affairs
2. Ismail Ali Manik as Minister of State for Finance
3. Mohamed Ali as Minister of State for National Planning and Infrastructure
4. Ali Solih as Minister of State for Communication, Science and Technology
5. Ahmed Riyaz as Minister of State for Education
6. Mohamed Ahmed as Minister of State for Fisheries, Marine Resources and Agriculture
7. Ahmed Nasheed as Minister of State for Housing and Urban Development
8. Ashadh Ali as Minister of State for Youth, Sports and Community Empowerment and
9. Fazna Shakir as Minister of State for Gender, Family and Social Services.

In addition to the nine new Ministers of State, President Solih also appointed Jumhooree Party (JP)’s Secretary General Ahmed Sameer as a Minister at the President’s Office.

Sameer is one of the frontrunners during President Solih’s campaign to win the Presidential Election held this September and is the first individual to be appointed at Ministerial Level, who does not represent the main ruling Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP).

He had also been a Member of Parliament representing Dhidhdhoo constituency during the 17^th tenure of Parliament.

With this appointment, the President’s Office now has four individuals at Ministerial Level.