Former Chief of Defense Force, Lt. Gen., Retd., Abdul Raheem Abdul Latheef, who currently serves as a State Minister at the Foreign Ministry, is to be appointed Maldives Ambassador to Turkey, Adhadhu has learned.

Abdul Raheem retired from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) on April 18 at the age of 60. He served in the army for 39 years and retired in accordance with the Army Forces Act.

The exact date of Abdul Raheem's appointment as State Minister is unclear, but in a post on X on Monday, the Foreign Ministry revealed that he met with the delegation from the Montana National Guards in his capacity as State Minister.

A senior government official confirmed to Adhadhu that President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has decided to appoint Abdul Raheem as the first ambassador of Maldives to Turkey. Adhadhu understands that his name will be nominated for Parliament approval soon.

On December 10, 2023, the government announced the decision to establish a Maldives embassy in Turkey for the first time.

Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office after a cabinet meeting, Undersecretary Mohamed Firzul said the main reason for opening the embassy was to strengthen the bilateral relationship between the countries in addition to providing services to Maldivians in the country.

Former Chief of Defense Force Abdul Raheem, who is to be appointed Ambassador to Turkey, joined the army on February 18, 1985. He began his service in the "Signals" Department and completed a radio technical course in the United States to specialize in the field, winning first place in the course.

Abdul Raheem is also a graduate of the Sri Lankan Defense Services and Command College. He is also a graduate of the Asia Pacific Center for Security Studies in Hawaii.