5 March 2012, Male';The Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Dr. Abdul Samad Abdullah today assumed his duties as the new Minister in charge of the Maldives' foreign relations.
Addressing the staff members of the Ministry this morning the Minister underlined the importance of taking forward the Maldives' bilateral and international priorities.He stressed that all international achievements of the Maldives' should be aimed at benefiting all Maldivians. He also expressed his confidence in the Maldives Foreign Service and described it as a competent and professional Corp working diligently to protect and promote the Maldives' national interest abroad.
The new Minister of State for Foreign Affairs H E Ms. Dunya Maumoon also addressed the staff members. In her remarks she underscored the importance to work as a professional and efficient service to promote the interests of Maldives as well as international norms and human rights. At today's meeting a moment of silence was observed in remembrance of the Former Foreign Minister, the late Fathulla Jameel.
H E Dr. Abdul Samad Abdullah is a distinguished international public servant with an illustrious career at the WHO. Rising through the ranks of the Organisation Dr. Samad most recently served as the Coordinator of Communicable Disease Control at the Regional Office in New Delhi. Prior to joining the WHO he served in many posts at the Health Ministry the last of which was the Director General of Health Services.
In 2008, Dr. Samad Abdullah joined the Maldives Foreign Service and served as the first High Commissioner of the Maldives to Bangladesh.
H E Dr. Abdul Samad Abdullah is a graduate of the Leningrad Medical Institute and attained a Masters Degree in Public Health at the Royal Tropical Medicine Institute in Antwerp, Belgium.
ENDS