Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom says it is not right that the Speaker of the Parliament Mohamed Nasheed is representing another nation at the United Nations Climate Change Conference which kicks off in Egypt today.
Nasheed departed for Egypt on Friday and the Parliament confirmed that Nasheed will be attending COP27 as a member of the national delegation of Sri Lanka.
Many aimed criticism at Nasheed for opting to represent another nation at an international conference while acting as the Head of the Parliament in the Maldives.
A local media outlet asked Maumoon about Nasheed's questionable decision and Maumoon replied that it was 'not right.
Nasheed's decision drew criticism from two former Attorney Generals Dr. Mohamed Munavvaru and Aishath Azima Shukoor.
While Azima posed several legal questions about the Speaker's decision, Dr. Munavaaru questioned Nasheed's loyalty to representing another nation while receiving a salary from the people's money.
The Parliament confirmed yesterday that it was not spending any money on Nasheed's trip to Egypt and that it was being funded by the international organization CVF.
The UN Climate Change Conference encompasses the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27), the 17th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP17) and the fourth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Paris Agreement (CMA4).
Vice President Faisal Naseem is representing the Maldives at the Summit and arrived in Egypt yesterday.
