President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has today accredited Ms Aishath Azeema and Mr Mohamed Khaleel to serve as the Maldives’ ambassadors to the People’s Republic of China and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia respectively. The accreditation ceremony, in which both ambassador-designates were presented their letters of appointment, was held at the President’s Office, this afternoon.
Ms Aishath Azeema previously served as deputy ambassador of the Maldives to the United Kingdom in London, and in various senior capacities in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including as an Additional Secretary and Joint Secretary.
Mr Mohamed Khaleel has previously served as the Maldives the High Commissioner and Acting High Commissioner to Singapore. He attained his Diploma of Environmental Law and Policy at Jawaharlal Nehru University, India.
This aerial view shows the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, which joins the capital city of Male with the airport island, on Aug 24, 2018. (PHOTO COURTESY OF XU FUDI)
A life-changing cross-sea bridge built with Chinese aid goes into the history of island nation Maldives on Thursday as a “gateway to tomorrow” in the eyes of the nation’s leader.
“Today, the impossible is possible,” said President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom while addressing an opening ceremony in its capital Male before leading vehicles through the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge linking its two most important islands.
Maldives President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom addresses the opening ceremony of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, in Male, capital of Maldives, Aug 30, 2018. (PHOTO COURTESY OF DU CAILIANG)
Dazzling light beams and festive fireworks shooting up from the bridge sent thousands of local people and tourists to cheers and excitement at shoreside, embankments, view platforms, and roofs in Male. People thronged the white-sand beach watching the lighted bridge deep into the night.
The bridge is a dream come true for former Minister of Construction of the Maldives, Umar Zahir, whose generation went through rejections by builders who found a bridge impossible to construct before the Chinese success.
This Aug 30, 2018 photo shows the fireworks display at the opening ceremony of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, in Male, capital of Maldives. (PHOTO COURTESY OF XU FUDI)
President Yameen also outlined how he and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached an agreement on the project during Xi’s visit here in September 2014. Amid the fireworks displays were “Thank You” words to both presidents.
This Aug 30, 2018 photo shows the fireworks display above the main gate of the China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, in Male, capital of Maldives. (PHOTO COURTESY OF WANG CHAO)
