Friday
22nd Nov 2024
Dhivehi Edition
Mabrouq Aziz, who had been serving as an undersecretary at the President’s Office, has been designated as Spokesperson for President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.
Mabrouq’s new designation had been in effect since January 1 of this year, according to the President’s Office. Mabrouq Aziz replaced Ibrahim Hood, who has been designated Chief Communications Strategist.
Mabrouq came to prominence in the public eye in the previous year as a result of his service as spokesperson for the National Health Emergency Operation Centre during during the hardest days of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Maldives.
Mabrouq has been accused of playing a leading role in concealing the government’s massive mishandling of the COVID-19 outbreak in the Maldives. For instance, when many ventilators ordered and paid for by the government failed to arrive, Mabrouq had continued to provide answers, in favour of the government, that were later found out to be untrue.
The Minister of Health, Abdullah Ameen, had resigned from his post in the scandal that ensued as a result of the missing ventilators.
Mabrouq had unsuccessfully run for a Majlis seat representing Vaavu Felidhoo atoll. He is the son of well-known businessman; Abdul Azeez Abdul Rahman, managing director of Gold Coin International Pvt Ltd; and owns a successful business himself.