President Muizzu Submits 14 Cabinet Nominees to Parliament for Formal Approval

President Mohamed Muizzu has submitted the nominations of 14 cabinet ministers to the People's Majlis, the Maldivian Parliament, marking a critical step in the formalization of his restructured executive branch. The submissions follow a significant cabinet reshuffle conducted on April 14 and 15, which streamlined the government by reducing the number of ministerial portfolios from 20 to 15. This restructuring resulted in the resignation of 10 ministers, who stated that their departures were intended to grant the President greater flexibility in implementing institutional reforms aligned with current public priorities. Of the 14 nominees, five are new appointments while nine are returning ministers transitioning into newly configured roles. Under the Maldives' constitutional framework, these officials are restricted from exercising full statutory powers until they receive formal consent from the legislature. The proposed cabinet features several key appointments. Hassan Rasheed is nominated for Minister of Defence and National Service, while Moosa Zameer is slated for Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises. Ali Ihusaan has been put forward as Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology, and Iruthisham Adam as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Other strategic nominations include Ismail Shafeeu for Education, Higher Education and Skills Development; Geela Ali for Health, Family and Welfare; Mohamed Saeed for Economic Development, Transport and Trade; and Ahmed Shiyam for Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources. The remaining nominees include Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed (Islamic Affairs and Endowments), Mohamed Ameen (Tourism and Civil Aviation), Abdulla Rafiu (Youth Empowerment, Sports and Fitness), Heena Waleed (Arts, Culture and Heritage), Abdulla Muththalib (Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development), and Ali Shareef (Climate Change, Environment and Energy). The nominations have been referred to Parliament’s Government Oversight Committee for detailed review. Once the committee completes its assessment, the nominees will face a final vote in the Majlis to confirm their appointments.