Asim Ahmed

Asim Ahmed (born 7 January 1963) is a Maldivian politician and diplomat who served as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations Office at Geneva from the Maldives from 2020 to 2024 and was approved for the tenure by the People's Majlis on 24 July 2020.^[2][3]

Asim Ahmed
އާސިމް އަޙުމަދު
Official portrait, 2020
Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the UNGA
In office 10 August 2020 – 7 May 2024
President	Ibrahim Mohamed Solih Mohamed Muizzu
Preceded by	Dr. Hala Hameed
Succeeded by	Salma Rasheed
Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 25 August 2013 – 12 September 2013
President	Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik
Preceding	Dr. Abdul Samad Abdulla
Succeeded by	Dr. Mariyam Shakeela
Minister of Education
In office 16 February 2012 – 17 November 2013
President	Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik
Preceded by	Shifa Mohamed
Succeeded by	Dr. Aishath Shiham
Personal details
Born	(1963-01-07) 7 January 1963 (age 62)[1] Galolhu, Malé, Maldives
Alma mater	University of the South Pacific University of Sussex Victoria University of Wellington
Awards	National Award for Special Achievement

Maldivian Education Minister Dr Asim Ahmed with the Indian activist Dr Harikumar Pallathadka

Early life and education

Asim was born in January 1963. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Politics from University of the South Pacific, Fiji in 1989.^[2][3] He has a Master of Philosophy in development studies from Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex in 1992.^[2][3] He has also received a Doctor of Philosophy from the Victoria University of Wellington in 2011.^[2][3] He was also conferred the National Award for Special Achievement by President Waheed.^[4]

Career

Asim started his government service by becoming the Director for Strategic Planning at the now defunct Ministry of Planning and National Development in 1985.^[2] From 2011 to 2013, he played crucial roles such as acting Foreign Minister and Education Minister of Maldives.^{[5][6][7][8][9][10]} During this time he has been part of many Special Committees and Councils.^[11][12][13] From 24 March 2019 to 9 August 2020, he was the Ambassador-at-large and has represented Maldives at the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Human Rights Council.^[2]

He was the non-Resident Ambassador of the Maldives to Italy as well as the non-Resident ambassador to Switzerland, and Austria.^[14][15]

In 2022, he was elected as one of the four Vice Presidents of the United Nations Human Rights Council for 2023.^[16]