Moosa Zameer

Minister of Foreign Affairs

Biography

Moosa Zameer was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Maldives on 17 November 2023, by President Dr Mohamed Muizzu. 

Minister Zameer brings to the job his astute experiences as a former Minister, and a former Member of Parliament, and a proven track-record, particularly on negotiating and securing development and private sector financing from a multitude of sources. 

At a young age, Minister Zameer was introduced into the world of business, where he was the Managing Director for several successful private companies, specialising in the marine sector, tourism and hospitality, and fuel supply. He took these experiences and the skills he acquired, to Maldivian politics and later, to the Parliament and the Executive. 

Minister Zameer’s political career began in 2008. He was a founding member of the People’s Alliance (PA), serving as its Vice President and representing the Party in various domestic and international forums, events, and media engagements. In 2011, Minister Zameer joined the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the successor to the now-defunct PA. As the Vice President of PPM, he was instrumental in the Party’s operations, including its foreign relations, establishing links with political parties and international organisations, in various countries, including India, Malaysia and China. He was an active contributor to the development of the party’s manifesto, agenda, and strategy. 

Minister Zameer was a Member of Parliament from 2009 to 2014. During his term, he played a leading role in the formulation of bills relating to finance, economy, and national security. He was the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Economic Affairs from 2011 to 2014, a Member of The Standing Committee on National Security Services from 2009 to 2014, and a Member of the Standing Committee on Petitions from 2009 to 2014. He was also the Chairman of the Maldives-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group, and represented the Parliament in several high-level meetings, events, and exchanges with parliamentarians and officials of various countries, as well as in multilateral bodies such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and the United Nations. 

As the Minister of Tourism from 28 October 2015 to 17 November 2018, Minister Zameer oversaw the remarkable growth and diversification of the Maldivian tourism sector - the main source of income and employment for the Maldives. He oversaw the opening of four domestic airports, 7 hotels, 55 new resorts, and almost 500 guesthouses across the country under his tenure. He was instrumental in securing new foreign investments worth over $1 billion and establishing and strengthening partnerships with regional and international organisations and bodies.