The High Court has dismissed a case filed by the Foreign Ministry after the Attorney General's Office decided not to proceed with its appeal over a Right to Information (RTI) request concerning claims about former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's handling of the covid-19 pandemic.

The dispute arose after then Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid said at a political rally that leaders of other countries had contacted him seeking the "formula" used by then President Solih to revive the Maldivian economy during the pandemic.

Following the remarks, then journalist and now Hithadhoo Central MP Ahmed Azaan submitted an RTI request to the Foreign Ministry seeking details of the countries that had allegedly requested the information.

The ministry declined to disclose the information, arguing that it had been exchanged through diplomatic channels and that releasing it could discourage governments from sharing similar information in the future.

The Information Commissioner's Office rejected the ministry's justification and ordered it to release the requested information.

The Foreign Ministry challenged the decision in High Court, but the court initially declined to hear the case. The Supreme Court later ruled that the matter could be considered by the High Court, after which the ministry refiled its appeal.

However, the Attorney General's Office, which represented the Foreign Ministry, later decided not to pursue the case following a review.

As a result, the High Court dismissed the appeal, and shelved the case.