Dhiyana nominated as Maldives ambassador to Belgium and EU
Dhiyana was appointed Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April.
President Mohamed Muizzu has submitted the nomination of former Attorney General Fathimath Dhiyana Saeed to the People's Majlis for approval as the Maldives' Ambassador to Belgium and the European Union (EU).
The President's request was read during Tuesday's sitting of Parliament before being referred to the Foreign Relations Committee for review. The committee is expected to examine the nomination before submitting its recommendation to the full chamber for a vote.
Dhiyana was appointed Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in April. Under the Maldives Foreign Service Act, individuals nominated for ambassadorial postings must first hold the position of Ambassador-at-Large.
Dhiyana previously served as the first female Secretary-General of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). She has also served as Attorney General during the administration of former President Mohamed Nasheed and as Minister of Gender, Family and Human Rights under former President Mohamed Waheed Hassan.
She was previously critical of the current administration but publicly supported the government during last April's referendum campaign. During the campaign, she advocated the government's proposal to align and hold the country's two major national elections simultaneously.
Dhiyana studied law in Australia and Japan.
During the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, her name was submitted to Parliament for appointment as a Supreme Court justice. However, Parliament approved Mahaz Ali Zahir for the position instead.
