United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) President Abdullah Shahid, who is on his first official visit to his home country, the Maldives, has been conferred the Order of Distinguished Rule of Izzudheen, Nishan Izzuddeen Izzathuge Verikan, one of the highest honors in the archipelago. 

Maldivian President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih conferred the honor to Shahid during a national day event held on Wednesday. This is the first time in the Maldives’ history that a Maldivian national won the presidency of the UNGA. Shahid is also the foreign minister of the Maldives but has been visiting the country in the capacity of the president of the UNGA.

The honor was given for his exemplary foreign policies and commendable work to promote the voice of the Maldives in the international community. reported Raajjee TV. 

Order of Nishan Izzuddeen is among the highest-ranking honors conferred by the country and celebrates individual national and international services. It is dedicated to Al- Sultan-ul-Ghazi Hassan Izzuddhin Siri Kularanbeema Kahthiri Bavana Maharadhun.

Importantly, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also received the honor in the past.

Beginning his journey as a junior-level staff in 2005 in the Maldives’s foreign ministry, Abdullah Shahid was appointed as the Minister for State for Foreign Affairs in 2005. In 2007, he became the foreign minister for the first time. In 2019, he returned to the job when Ibrahim Mohammed Solih won the presidency in the country.    
   
Shahid called his visit special and said, “This homecoming has been doubly special. Special because we celebrate our success as a nation, we celebrate our success as a member of the international community, our success as a country, that has been accepted, that is respected in the international community,” he said. 

 (SAM)