Although Abdulla Shahid, the former Foreign Minister of the Maldives, does not currently hold any position in the present government, he still appears on international platforms as if he were a "Foreign Minister." He continues to meet with leaders from various parts of the world and senior figures in foreign affairs, offering advice on matters of importance to the Maldives. Many view this as evidence of his extensive experience and strong international connections
Shahid is not only a notable political leader in the Maldives and globally, but also an experienced diplomat who played a crucial role in shaping the Maldives' foreign policy. With a long and successful history in foreign affairs, Shahid has also served extensively in the Maldivian government and parliament. His domestic experience is equally substantial
Why is Shahid more powerful in the foreign arena than the current government leaders
Shahid is a world-class expert in foreign affairs. Even though he is not currently serving as Foreign Minister, Shahid is a familiar figure well-known to all world leaders. He has close relationships with heads of state, ministers, and leaders of international organizations worldwide. These are not connections he forged overnight. With 42 years of experience, these relationships have evolved into close friendships that have stood the test of time
Starting as a junior employee in the foreign affairs sector and after working extensively at the Foreign Ministry, he has served as the Minister of that ministry twice. Subsequently, he even reached the position of presiding over the world stage. This was achieved by securing the position of President of the UN General Assembly. Along with this, he is not just a leader at the national level. He is also a leader who has earned respect on the global stage. He is someone who has influence with the leaders of every country in the world
Shahid is currently the most experienced and strongest diplomat in the Maldives in the field of foreign affairs. He is the person who transformed the history of Maldivian foreign affairs. This is something everyone acknowledges today. Political leaders also accept this fact. Even the highly experienced experts in the foreign affairs sector do not dispute this
Khaleel, who is an expert with over forty years of experience in the foreign affairs sector and has also served as the State Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that he has worked with many ministers, including Fathulla Jameel. However, for Khaleel, Shahid is completely different
"I have worked with many ministers. I have never seen a Foreign Minister like Shahid. He is a very different minister. A very capable person. Even in terms of management, he is an exceptionally intelligent person. I wouldn’t say that anyone else of Shahid’s caliber has emerged in the foreign affairs field. No one else of that level has emerged," Khaleel briefly described Shahid in a few sentences
Describing Shahid’s strength in foreign relations, former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has said that Shahid is a powerful intellectual with experience in foreign affairs, domestic affairs, and various other fields. During his presidency, he praised Shahid’s excellence in foreign affairs work at many different official events. This includes extensive mentions in presidential statements as well
Similarly, former President Mohamed Nasheed has also described Shahid in terms of foreign affairs, stating that he is someone who can easily converse with leaders of all countries
"A country that doesn’t speak, a Foreign Office he can’t visit, and no Prime Minister’s or President’s house or office. That’s something Maldivians are proud of," Nasheed said, attributing the statement to Shahid
Nasheed then went on to say that Shahid is someone who can consult and communicate with every country. He very clearly stated that Abdulla Shahid is currently the most capable person in the foreign affairs field in the Maldives. He said there is no second person in the country who matches him in this area
"As our Foreign Minister, without a doubt, we have the most experienced, most capable person for this job in the Maldives today," Nasheed said
This is just what two former presidents said about Shahid. Besides this, there would hardly be any Maldivian now who wouldn’t generally accept this view. Shahid becoming such a leader in the international arena is something Maldivians should be proud of. And it’s something that will always benefit the country. The proof of this is how the world viewed the Maldives during his tenure as Foreign Minister and the aid that was received—the ease with which this was achieved
Thus, the answer to the question posed at the beginning of the report is now evident. The reason Shahid appears more prominent in foreign relations than government leaders is due to his extensive diplomatic history, long-standing international connections, and the experience he has acquired. It is because of the respect he has earned, the relationships he has consistently maintained without diminishing, and the elegant diplomatic principles he has always upheld
Therefore, even after this government came to power, we see Shahid taking the lead in some scenarios, ahead of government officials. Shall we take a few examples
When India’s External Affairs Minister Jaishankar visited the Maldives on an official trip, the only political leader he met separately was Shahid. He met government officials only through official meetings. Since this government came to power, Shahid has met several times with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping
Shahid has met with various European countries' foreign ministers and senior leaders, as well as top officials from the European Union and the UN, offering them advice. He continues to participate in various international forums in the foreign affairs sector, providing valuable counsel to young people. Recently, Shahid also participated in a forum held in Hungary
Shahid’s expertise in foreign affairs was most prominently demonstrated when the Maldives was elected to the presidency of the United Nations General Assembly. The world’s nations trusted and elected the Maldives to this position due to Shahid’s exceptional experience in foreign affairs. There can be no dispute about this. No one would have believed that a small country like the Maldives could be elected to such an important and internationally powerful position. However, this became a reality, bringing honor to the Maldives, thanks to Shahid’s skilled diplomatic principles
While the Maldives has held leadership roles in the UN, Shahid is the first Maldivian to serve as the President of the UN General Assembly. Shahid was elected to the position of President of the UN General Assembly on June 7, 2021. This is a one-year term
Shahid’s term at the UN ended in September 2022. This was the first time the Maldives had secured the highest position at the UN and presided over global affairs. As President of the UN General Assembly, Shahid made significant efforts to ensure the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines to people living in all parts of the world. The world has recognized Shahid’s leadership
This becomes evident as Shahid continues to receive invitations to consult and exchange ideas with world leaders on the same platform. The leaders of European and other countries consult with Shahid on Maldivian affairs because he possesses the capability to find solutions to these issues. European leaders meet with Shahid to discuss and seek advice on current global conflicts for specific reasons
While the Foreign Minister of this government does not have the opportunity to attend such meetings, Shahid is afforded this chance because he is recognized as a world-class expert in foreign affairs
Since taking on the role of Foreign Minister for the second time in 2018, Shahid has restored the Maldives' international credibility. In this regard, he has renewed relationships with countries where ties had previously deteriorated and established new diplomatic connections. He played a crucial role in the Maldives' re-entry into the Commonwealth, and under his leadership, the Maldives secured the opportunity to host the 2023 Indian Ocean Island Games. This was the first multi-sport international event held in the Maldives
As an advocate for gender equality: Shahid established gender parity for the first time in Maldivian diplomatic missions and foreign service. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was among the leading voices highlighting the economic and social losses faced by small island developing states. He also emphasized the vulnerabilities these countries face
In recognition of his efforts to find solutions to major global issues in his capacity as the President of the UN General Assembly, he has been awarded the highest honors and medals in several countries. The Maldivian state has also bestowed upon him its highest honor in appreciation of the prestige and honor he brought to the country in the field of foreign affairs
The beginning of Shahid’s foreign career: He began his work in the foreign affairs sector in 1983 as a Foreign Service Officer. He quickly rose to higher positions. In 1993, he was promoted to the position of Director of International Affairs and headed the Multilateral Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During this period, from 1987 to 1994, he participated in all UN General Assembly sessions, addressing issues of security and safety for small nations
As the head of the International Organizations Department, he represented the Maldives in meetings of organizations such as the Commonwealth, Islamic Cooperation, and Non-Aligned Movement. He led the Maldivian delegation at the 20th Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Uganda and the 6th Islamic Summit Conference in Senegal
In 1995, he was appointed to the position of Executive Secretary (Chief of Staff) at the President’s Office, a position he held for more than 10 years. In 2005, he was appointed as the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and in 2007, he was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs for the first time
During Shahid’s first term as Minister, he advocated for a human rights-based approach to climate change. As such, under the UN Human Rights Council Resolution 7/23, he submitted a proposal to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, highlighting the impacts of climate
