# Ahmed Khaleel

Ahmed Khaleel (Dhivehi: އަހްމަދު ޚަލީލް born March 17, 1962) is a Maldivian diplomat and the former Ambassador to Japan. He also studied in Majeediyya School for 10 years. He served as the non-resident ambassador to the Republic of Korea. He served as the Under-Secretary for Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during 2016–2018, before becoming the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in November 2018.

## Diplomatic career

He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1981 and first worked at the Immigration Bureau for about six months, then worked at the Office of the High Commission in Sri Lanka, where he was the third secretary.
From October 1983 to June 1984, He completed a Foreign Service Training Programme in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. From October 1991 to June 1992, he also completed a Diplomat Training Programme at Oxford University in England.
From 2006 to 2007, he served as Chargé d'Affaires of the Maldives to Japan and he was involved in the opening of the embassy, and then from 2007 to 2009 as an Ambassador to the United Nations.
He was also the Ambassador of the Maldives to Japan from 2009 to 2016 (the presentation of his credentials was held in 2010, a year after his appointment)
On 11 March 2011, during Khaleel's third year as Ambassador to Japan, the Great East Japan Earthquake occurred, causing extensive damage mainly on the Pacific coast of the Tōhoku region. From August 26 to 27 of the same year, he engaged in relief activities in Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture, the disaster-stricken area, together with Yoshitaka Shindo, a member of the House of Representatives who was then the secretary-general of the Japan-Maldives Friendship Parliamentary League. (This was the first time that Khaleel accompanied Japan.)
On 18 April 2013, he visited South Korea's capital Seoul as a non-resident ambassador to the Republic of Korea and presented his credentials to President Park Geun-hye at the Blue House.
On 15 December 2015, while Khaleel was serving as ambassador to Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe hosted a luncheon for 24 Japanese-speaking ambassadors from various countries to Japan to the Prime Minister's official residence, Khaleel being one of them.
On 3 October 2016, Khaleel was appointed as the Under-Secretary for Bilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. On 14 June 2018, he participated in the first Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue which was held in Tokyo as Vice-Minister for Bilateral Relations and exchanged opinions with Nariki Takizaki, the Director of Southern Asia, and others.
On 22 November 2018, he was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs. On 27 August 2019, he participated in the 2nd Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue held in Malé, the capital of Maldives, as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and exchanged opinions with Shigeki Takizaki, the Director of Southeast and Southwest Asian affairs department. On 4 March 2021, he participated in the 3rd Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue held in and online video conference format as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and exchanged opinions with Kenichi Kobayashi, the Director-General of Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs department.
On 4 October 2021, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Khaleel signed and exchanged letters with Keiko Yanai, Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives, in Malé regarding the Economic and Social Development Plan, a grant aid with a maximum of ¥400,000,000. On 30 May 2022, a letter was signed and exchanged with Midori Takeuchi, Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives, in Malé regarding the "Economic and Social Development Plan" 650 million yen grant aid.
On 27 September 2022, the funeral of the late Shinzo Abe was held in Tokyo, attended by Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, Ambassador to Japan Hassan Sobir, and Deputy Ambassador Mohammad Ameetou Ahmed Manik.
On 4 April 2023, he participated in the 4th Japan-Maldives Policy Dialogue held in Tokyo as Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and exchanged opinions with Yutaka Arima, Director of Southeast and Southwest Asian Affairs department.

## Honours

* Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd Class, Gold and Silver Star (2024)