Ambassador Thilmeeza presents credentials to US State Department

The newly appointed Ambassador to the United States (US), Thilmeeza Hussain, presented her credentials to US State Department's Chief of Protocol, Ambassador Sean P. Lawler, on Tuesday.

The Ambassador is an Adjunct Professor of Sustainability at New Jersey's Ramapo College. She is also the Co-Chair of Socially and Economically Just Adaptation and Mitigation Team at the United States Climate Action Network.

Prior to her ambassador post, Thilmeeza Hussain, who achieved her Master of Science in Business Management at the Colorado Technical University, USA, served as Adjunct Professor of Sustainability at the Ramapo College, New Jersey.

Additionally, Thilmeeza is appointed as Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) from Maldives.

She had previously served as the Deputy Permanent Representative at the Permanent Mission of Maldives to UN, and also held the post of Non-Resident Deputy Ambassador to the USA and Canada.

In light of recently strengthened bilateral ties between the two countries, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), on March 12, signed a USD 20 million (MVR 310 million) development agreement with Maldives.

Under the bilateral development agreement, USAID will also work to reinforce key democratic governance institutions, empower women and youth, as well as aid in the protection of valuable marine habitats.

US Ambassador to Maldives Alaina Teplitz and Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdulla Shahid also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) extending academic exchanges conducted under the US Fulbright program.

While USAID began working in Maldives in 2012, the agency has provided valuable help in strengthening government bodies, protecting maritime resources, improving public accounting systems and aiding the country to meet drinking water and energy needs.

USAID provided USD 12 million in free aid to Maldives to provide relief and reconstruction following the 2004 tsunami.