Dr. Shafia was appointed as the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry in January 2019.  Her professional career started as an ‘Agriculturist’ after completing a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture from the University of South Pacific followed by a Master’s Degree in Plant Pathology, from University of Sydney, Australia.   She continued her academic career and graduated with a Master of Science in Environmental Biology from University of Guelph, Canada and completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Plant Science from the University of Reading, UK in 2009.  

Dr. Shafia first joined the Ministry of Agriculture and continued working in the Ministry which led her into strategic engagement in emerging issues of climate change and food systems management.  With 25 years of experience, she has extensive knowledge in agriculture policy, planning and management.  Her exposure into development and management   comes from her experience in coordinating for International Development Agencies such as IFAD and FAO as well as her 25+ years of experience in the Government.  In the latter half of her career, she was engaged in policy and planning of food systems. 

As the Head of the Civil Service for the Ministry she is responsible for the management of the human and financial resources to deliver the Government’s policies to improve the life and wellbeing of fisheries, marine resources and agriculture communities and businesses outline in the Strategic Action Plan.  She is committed to implement the programs efficiently and effectively.  Her work is undertaken according to Maldivian Civil Service Code of Conduct upholding honesty, impartiality, honesty and integrity. 

Before her appointment as the Permanent Secretary, she served as the Director General of Agriculture and in several senior management roles of the Ministry. 

Throughout her career she has been people oriented and worked closely with the team focusing on empowering staff to make the best use of their talent and qualification.

1. The Permanent Secretary is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies and projects outlined in the official mandate of the Ministry.

2. The Permanent Secretary is responsible for assisting and advising the Minister on issues in which the minister is accountable.

3. The Permanent Secretary is responsible for managing all affairs of the Ministry.

4. The Permanent Secretary is responsible for strengthening and sustaining a transparent and accountable working environment to motivate and encourage all employees to work efficiently and effectively.

5. Responsible for recruitment and strengthening the human resource capacity within the Ministry.

6. The designated Permanent Secretary must fulfill the responsibility under Public Finance Act regulation [No: -3/2006].

7. The Permanent Secretary must be responsible for improving the skill sets of employees, by supporting innovative ideas, best practices and new technologies to enhance their performance and output delivery.

8. As a member of the Advisory Board of the Civil Services the Permanent Secretary must support and advise the management of the Civil Services system.

9. At the end of each calendar year, the Permanent Secretary is responsible for compiling the annual report consisting of all activities carried out in the Ministry. The report must be submitted to the Minister for timely submission to the Parliament.

10. Permanent Sectary is responsible all assigned duties under the Law and Regulation of Maldives Civil Servants.

އައިމިނަތު ޝާފިއާ  ޕީ.އެޗް.ޑީ

ޒިންމާދާރު އިސްވެރިޔާ

Permanent Secretary

Mr. Mohamed Shimal has been serving as the Director General of the Maldives Marine Research Institute (MMRI) since April 2025. The MMRI operates under the Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources and functions as the research arm of the Ministry responsible for conducting scientific research on fisheries resources, mariculture and marine ecosystem.

Shimal joined the MMRI (then Marine Research Centre) in early 2015 as a Senior Research Officer following the completion of Bachelor of Environmental Science with a specialization in Wildlife conservation biology at Charles Darwin University, Australia, under Australian Awards Scholarship. In 2020, he obtained his Master of Science in Marine Biology at Bangor University, United Kingdom through Chevening Scholarship. Since joining MMRI, he has served in various capacities, including as a Marine Biologist under Reef-based fisheries Monitoring and Research Section and as a Director at Pelagic Fisheries Monitoring and Research Section. He has also served as Reef Fisheries Programme Officer and as Research and Science Coordinator under the World Bank funded Sustainable Fisheries Resources Development Project, implemented by the Ministry. In these roles, Shimal contributed significantly to the planning and implementation of fisheries research initiatives, with a particular focus on establishing long-term reef-based fisheries monitoring programs for resource assessment while also contributing to Maldives’ science engagements at the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission. Shimal has also represented Maldives and MMRI at several local and international forums relating to fisheries and marine research. He has also participated extensively in field-based research activities, including fisheries sampling, coral reef monitoring and various international collaborative research programs implemented by MMRI.

Shimal has a strong interest in data management and reproducible analysis, statistical programming in R, and geospatial mapping, with a focus on automating data analysis routines. He is very committed to improving of scientific work at MMRI, with a particular emphasis on mentorship and the transfer of knowledge and skills within the research teams, as well as on building institutional capacity through external support and collaborative research projects. 

Director General, Maldives Marine Research Institute, Ministry of Fisheries and Ocean Resources – Guiding and supervision or marine research programs implemented at MMRI and overall administration management of the Institute.

މުޙައްމަދު ޝިމާލް

ޑިރެކްޓަރ  ޖެނެރަލް 

Director General 

Ahmed Yamin joined the Ministry as an Accounts Officer in the year 2006 and currently holds the position of a Director General since August 2020. Prior to being appointed as a Director General, Yamin also served as a Director from May 2014 to August 2021 at the Ministry.

Yamin currently heads the Corporative Division of the Ministry and is responsible for leading and overseeing the Corporate Division of the Ministry. His main duties include, inter alia, the overall improvement and timely delivery of services by the Corporative Division (General Management, Human Resources, Finance and Information Technology Section), implementation of effective management strategies and providing inputs necessary for various decision making and policy formulation for the Corporative Services at the Ministry.

He is also an active member of the Human Resource Management Development Committee at the Ministry since February 2014.

Furthermore, he also acts as the Procurement Officer for “Sustainable Fisheries Resources Development Project managed by the Ministry and funded by World Bank, where his main duties include ensuring the procurement of goods and services are executed in accordance with World Bank Procurement regulations.

Mr. Yamin completed his Bachelor's of Arts and Business Management Degree (Honors) at Segi College, Malaysia. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from the Open University of the Malaysia.

Mr. Yamin has attended various training programs and workshops locally and internationally and represented the Ministry in various forums.

Director General - Head of Corporate Division of the Ministry

Primary responsibilities included leading and overseeing the Corporate Department of the Ministry.

އަހުމަދު ޔާމިން

ޑިރެކްޓަރ ޖެނެރަލް

Director General

ފިޝަރީޒް އެންޑް އޯޝަން ރިސޯސަސް މެނޭޖްމަންޓް ގެ މަސައްކަތްތައް ދެމެހެއްޓެނިވި ގޮތެއްގެ މަތިން ހިންގައި ބެލެހެއްޓުން.

Dr. Hussain Sinan was appointed as Director General in January 30, 2024. 

Senior Management