Dr. Athaulla Ahmed Rasheed is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of service in the Maldives Government and an impressive academic and research career in Maldives and Australia. His expertise covers diplomacy, international relations, small state security, and strategic governance. Among his notable roles, he served as State Minister for Gender and Family from 2016 to 2017, where he advised the President’s Office and worked on policies promoting gender equality and family welfare.

Dr. Athaulla was Coordinator and Senior Lecturer at Maldives National University (2014–2016), contributing to educational growth. As a diplomat, he advanced Maldives’ international relations through key roles, including Additional Secretary and Head of International Affairs (2014) and Director of the UN Division (2008–2009). He also served as Director for Education and Research at the Anti-Corruption Commission (2013–2014), promoting transparency and ethical governance.

Over the past seven years, Dr. Athaulla pursued an academic career in Australia, specialising in small state security and Indo-Pacific strategic engagements. He earned a PhD in international political and strategic studies from the Australian National University (ANU), focusing on small state security. From 2021 to 2024, he contributed as a Doctoral Scholar and researcher at ANU, advising Australian defence and foreign affairs on Indian Ocean small states security. Additionally, as a researcher, associate and advisor, he led a project on Maldives’ maritime security, enhancing global understanding of island nations’ strategic challenges, and advised Maldives-Australia relations.

Dr. Athaulla holds two PhDs, reflecting his dedication to academic research in political science, international relations, and security studies. His PhD in political science, awarded in 2013 by the University of Queensland, laid the groundwork for his research expertise. Bridging theory and practice, he has shaped strategic governance, academic discourse, and policies in the Maldives and beyond. Focusing on small state security and the Indo-Pacific strategy, his leadership across gender equality, anti-corruption, maritime security governance, and strategic studies has been further recognised regionally.

Dr. Athaulla has actively participated in numerous international conferences, contributing as a panellist, guest speaker, and observer, advancing Maldives. His engagements span critical discussions on security, environmental issues, human rights, and diplomacy within various global and regional contexts.

• Panellist at the Pathfinder Indian Ocean Security Conference, February 2024, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
• Panellist at the Bay of Bengal Roundtable, Indo-Pacific Sea Power Conference, November 2023, Sydney, Australia.
• Panellist at the Stakeholder Conference, Centre for Strategic and Defence Research (CSDR), May 2023, Bangkok, Thailand.
• Guest Speaker at the Indo-Pacific Environmental Security Conference, MNDF & INDOPACOM, August 2022, Maldives.
• Participant at the 3rd Conference of China-South Asian Think-Tank Forum (CSATTF), June 2015, Kunming, China.
• Attendee at the Millennium Summit of the United Nations General Assembly, year 2000, New York, USA.
• Delegate at the XIV Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), August 2004, Durban, South Africa.
• Observer at the 7th Session of the Human Rights Council, December 2007, Geneva, Switzerland.
• Representative at the Asia-Middle East Dialogue (AMED II), April 2008, Egypt.
• Participant at the 64th Commission Session of the Economic and Social Council of Asia-Pacific, April 2008, Bangkok, Thailand.
• Delegate at the 35th OIC Foreign Ministers Meeting, June 2008, Kampala, Uganda.
• Representative at the 15th Ministerial Conference of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), July 2008, Tehran, Iran.

Books

Rasheed, Athaulla (forthcoming) Maritime Security and the Indo-Pacific Strategy for Maldives: A framework for small states’ security analysis. BOOK proposing to MNU 2025

Book Chapters

Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2021). ‘The Early Development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Climate Governance: A Disproportionate Impact on UN Climate Negotiations.’ In Small Island Developing States, Springer publication

Rasheed, Athaulla A (2023), ‘Drivers of Maldives’ Foreign Policy on India and China’, In C Raja Mohan & Hernaikh Singh, Coping with China-India Rivalry: South Asian Dilemmas, USA: World Scientific Publishing Co Pte Ltd. 

Peer-reviewed Articles

Rasheed, Athaulla A (2023). Small island developing states and climate securitization in international politics: Towards a comprehensive conception. Island Studies Journal.

Rasheed, A. A. (2021). Island Nations Demand Climate Security. In Brief. doi:10.25911/9009-XB48

Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2021). Small Island Developing States Drive a Green Post-COVID-19 Recovery Agenda. In Brief 2021/08.

Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2019). Role of small islands in UN climate negotiations: A constructivist viewpoint. International Studies.

 Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2018). Ideas, Maldives-China relations and balance of power dynamics in South Asia, in Journal of South Asian Studies, (ISSN: 2307-4000) https://esciencepress.net/journals/index.php/JSAS/article/view/2606

 Rasheed, Athaulla A (2016). Changing China-South Asia Relations: A Constructivist Approach. http://dialoguejournal.org.au/category/articles/

 Rasheed, Athaulla A (2014). Historical institutionalism in Maldives: A case of governance failure. MNUJR. http://saruna.mnu.edu.mv/jspui/handle/123456789/220?mode=full

Rasheed, Athaulla A (2015), Development, development policy and governance in Maldives: A political economy perspective. MNUJR 3(1).  http://www.mnu.edu.mv/index.php/research/1489-Maldives-Journal-of-Research

Rasheed, Athaulla A (2013). An Institutionalist Approach to Understand the Recent Political Change in Maldives. LAWASIA Journal. Ref: https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:285977

Rasheed, Athaulla A (2006). The relationship between economic transition and constitutional government: the experience of the Republic of Maldives. LAWASIA Journal. https://heinonline.org/HOL/LandingPage?handle=hein.journals/lawasiaj7&div=13&id=&page=

Policy Articles

Rasheed, Athaulla (2024) Implications of Securitising and Desecuritising Maldives’ Partnerships. ISAS

Rasheed, Athaulla (2024) Maldives Strategy in the Indo-Pacific  Role Royal Society for Asian Affairs

Rasheed, Athaulla (2024) The Shifting Interests in Maldives Foreign Affairs: Anticipating Australia’s Role. Australian Outlook

Rasheed, Athaulla (2024) What Modi 3.0 can expect from Maldives. 360.Info.

Rasheed, Athaulla (2024) Voters back Maldives change in foreign policy. 360 Info.

Rasheed, Athaulla (2024) Is Maldives ready for its tactical drones? 360 Info.

Rasheed, Athaulla (2024) How Australia can win hearts and minds in the Indian Ocean, 360 Info.

Brewster, David & Rasheed, Athaulla (2023), ‘Rethinking Maldives-India security relationship, The Interpreter

Brewster, David & Rasheed, Athaulla (2023), ‘How Maldives is adapting to a changing security climate – and where Australia benefits’, The Interpreter.

Brewster, David & Rasheed, Athaulla (2023), ‘Maldives’ presidential election: it’s not just about India and China’, The Interpreter.

Carter, George & Rasheed, Athaulla (2023), ‘Samoa and the Alliance of Small Islands States show climate security is also about loss and damage’, The Interpreter

Rasheed, Athaulla A (2023), ‘The ocean-climate-security nexus in Indo-Pacific Island Nations’, ISAS Scan, National University of Singapore.

Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2022). Greening national security policy in the Indo-Pacific. Policy Forum.

Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2021). The role of Maldives in Indo-Pacific security space in South Asia. E-International Relations.

Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2020) Climate Ideas as Drivers of Pacific Islands’ Regional Politics and Cooperation, E-International Relations

Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2019) Small Island Climate Diplomacy in Maldives and Beyond, E-International Relations.

Rasheed, Athaulla A. (2019) Can Maldives Steer Regional Power Politics? E-International Relations.