Fathulla Jameel was the Minister of Foreign Affairs

Foreign minister

A Minister of Foreign Affairs, or foreign minister, is a cabinet minister who helps form the foreign policy of a sovereign state. The foreign minister is often regarded as the most senior ministerial position below that of the head of government . It is often granted to the deputy prime minister in...

 of Maldives

Maldives

The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...

 from 1978 to 2005.

Jameel was the Permanent Representative of the Maldives to the United Nations

United Nations

The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...

 from April 14, 1977 to 1978. He became Minister of Foreign Affairs on March 14, 1978 and, under President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom

Maumoon Abdul Gayoom was President of the Maldives from 1978 to 2008. After serving as Minister of Transport, he was nominated as President by the Majlis of the Maldives and succeeded Ibrahim Nasir on November 11, 1978. He eventually became the longest-ruling head of government in Asia...

, held that position for 27 years. On July 14, 2005, he resigned as Minister of Foreign Affairs and was instead appointed as a Special Advisor to the President. On April 30, 2008 he was sworn in to the position of senior minister, a relatively new post created by the incumbent president Gayoom.