President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih has presented the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin to President of the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (PGA) Abdulla Shahid. He was presented with the award at the special ceremony held to mark this year's National Day at Republic Square.
The Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin is conferred to acknowledge an individual's national or international services by the government. President Solih honoured Abdulla Shahid as part of his ongoing official visit to the Maldives in his capacity as the president of the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
President Solih said he regards Shahid's election to the United Nations leadership, with a majority of votes, as a great honour for the Maldives, as well as a sign of the international community's acceptance of Shahid's foreign services. Shahid was awarded the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin in recognition of his efforts to boost the Maldivian foreign sector and bringing pride to the Maldives in the international arena.
Shahid began his services in the Maldives foreign sector as a junior-level staff in 1983 and was appointed as the minister of state for foreign affairs in 2005. He was appointed as the minister of foreign affairs in 2007 and served as the foreign minister until the end of Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's presidency.
One of the most notable services provided by Shahid in the foreign service was the expansion of the country's diplomatic footprint around the world, which included the establishment of embassies in the US, China, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and neighboring countries.
Moreover, Shahid was the foreign minister appointed by President Solih after he was sworn into office, after which he worked to re-establish relations with states with whom relations were previously terminated and worked on establishing bilateral relations with new countries.