President nominates ex-finance minister for central bank governor

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih on Wednesday nominated former finance minister Ali Hashim to the vacant post of the Maldives Monetary Authority’s governor.

The nominee was sent for evaluation by the public accounts committee at Thursday’s sitting of parliament. The confirmation vote is expected to take place next week before parliament breaks for recess on September 5.

Former governor Ahmed Naseer resigned in late July amid allegations of unlawful interference with the anti-money laundering watchdog. He was accused of removing the Financial Intelligence Unit’s top official days after he reported suspicious transactions involving former president Abdulla Yameen.

Hashim served as finance minister under former president Mohamed Nasheed from November 2008 to December 2010. He also served as chairman of the Addu International Airport Company during the previous Maldivian Democratic Party government.

More recently, Hashim was appointed to a Presidential Action Committee formed to provide counsel on “deciding the outcome or remedy in how to go about with politically motivated employment terminations by the previous government.”