Parliament on Monday gave the greenlight to the appointment of Thoriq Ibrahim as the new tourism minister.
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu on 1 February, merged the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy with the Ministry of Tourism to create a new Ministry of Tourism and Environment, appointing Thoriq to lead the newly formed ministry.
Parliament during Monday’s sitting endorsed Thoriq’s appointment with 69 lawmakers voting in favour.
The Parliamentary Government Oversight Committee had earlier signed off on Thoriq’s nomination as the new Minister of Tourism and Environment.
Prior to the vote, most lawmakers including the opposition expressed confidence in Minister Thoriq’s ability to deliver on the two portfolios.
President Dr Muizzu’s decision to merge the two ministries came just five days after he dismissed Minister of Tourism, Ibrahim Faisal from his post.
Faisal, who was appointed as the Minister of Tourism on 17 November 2023, has been relieved of his duties, the President’s Office had said without offering any details behind his sudden dismissal.
The merging of the key ministerial portfolios, key agencies previously under the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, namely the Environmental Protection Agency, the Utility Regulatory Authority, the Maldives Meteorological Service, and the Biosphere Reserve Office will now operate under the newly established Ministry of Tourism and Environment, with immediate effect.
With this change, the newly formed Ministry has assumed responsibility for several key initiatives, including climate change mitigation efforts, environmental protection, energy, water, sanitation, waste management, tourism, and biodiversity conservation. The Ministry will continue its previous efforts while also integrating new responsibilities.
The President is constitutionally mandated to seek Parliament endorsement for ministerial cabinet appointments and ministerial portfolio changes.