Hassan Rasheed appointed Defence minister

Apr 15, 2026, 9:47 PM
Newly appointed Minister of Defence, Hassan Rasheed. -- Photo: President's Office

Newly appointed Minister of Defence, Hassan Rasheed. -- Photo: President's Office

Hassan Rasheed has been appointed as the Minister of Defence.

Prior to this appointment, Hassan Rasheed served as a Minister of State at the Ministry of Housing, a position he had held since November 21, 2023.

Despite his appointment as Defence Minister, he notably lacks prior experience in the defense sector.

Hassan Rasheed is the paternal brother of Riyaz Rasheed, the former MP for Vilufushi constituency. He is also closely related to the Minister of Finance, Moosa Zameer.

In the most recent parliamentary elections, Hassan Rasheed contested the People's National Congress (PNC) primary for the Vilufushi seat but was unsuccessful.

During former President Yameen’s administration, Hassan Rasheed served as a State Minister at the Ministry of Construction. At that time, the ministry was led by the current President Mohamed Muizzu.

The position of Defence Minister became vacant following the resignation of Ghassan Maumoon. He resigned yesterday at the request of the President, though the specific reasons for his departure have not been disclosed.

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