President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has proposed the appointment of former Environment Minister Thoriq Ibrahim as Maldives' permanent representative to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The president’s letter requesting approval for Thoriq, who is currently serving as the Maldivian ambassador to the UAE, was presented during the parliamentary session on Tuesday morning.

The nomination has been forwarded to the Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee for assessment.

Thoriq has held the position of environment minister under three different administrations—during Dr. Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik’s, Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayoom’s, and President Muizzu’s current government.

He was part of President Muizzu’s initial 22-member cabinet, initially serving as environment minister, then as environment and tourism minister after the ministries merged in February 2025. However, he, along with nine other ministers, resigned in a major cabinet reshuffle on April 14 following the ruling party’s defeat in local elections earlier that month.

Subsequently, Thoriq was appointed as an ambassador-at-large, a ministerial role within the Foreign Ministry, and in June, he was named the Maldives' ambassador to the UAE.

IRENA is an intergovernmental organization that helps countries transition to sustainable energy. The Maldives has been an active member since its founding in 2009.