NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALDIVES PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

Biographical Note

NEW PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF MALDIVES PRESENTS CREDENTIALS

(Based on information received from the Protocol and Liaison Service.)

Mohamed Latheef, the new Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations, presented his credentials today to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Latheef served as his country's Minister of Education, beginning in 1993.  At the same time he was also a Member of Parliament.  In 1993 he also served as the Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Atolls Administration.  From 1992 to 1993, he served as Director General at the Maldives Centre for Management and Administration, and National Director of the United Nations and International Labour Organization's Maldives Project.

Before that, from 1993 to 1997 he served in the Citizens' Special Assembly as the elected Deputy Speaker.  Within the Ministry of Education, he also held the posts of Director of the Educational Development Centre (from 1982 to 1989) and Under-Secretary from 1979 to 1981.  Prior to his work in education, he was a Protocol Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Third Secretary at the Maldivian Embassy in Sri Lanka.

In 1988 he founded and began to direct the Volunteers for Environment, Social Harmony and Improvement (VESHI).  Also the Maldivian word for “environment”, VESHI is a non-governmental organization working towards sustainable development.

Mr. Latheef holds a Doctorate in Educational Planning and a Masters in Education from the University of Wales, where he also pursued postgraduate studies in demography and statistics.  He underwent advanced training in educational planning and administration at the International Institute for Educational Planning in Paris.

Born on 20 July 1953, Mr. Latheef is married with three children and speaks Dhivehi (Maldivian) and English.

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