Agriculture Ministry merged with Fisheries Ministry with Shiyam as Minister

The administration of the Agriculture Ministry has been incorporated under the Fisheries Ministry, with former Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam formally appointed to head the merged ministries on Wednesday.

The Fisheries Ministry and the Agriculture Ministry have been merged and reconstituted as the Ministry of Fisheries, Agriculture, and Ocean Resources.

When the President took office on November 17, 2023, he appointed the largest cabinet in Maldivian history, with 22 ministers.  Over the past two years, portfolios have been repeatedly restructured, and Tuesday’s reshuffle marks another major reorganisation.

The President’s Office, on Wednesday, announced the appointment of Shiyam as Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture, and Ocean Resources. The official ceremony for the presentation of the letter of appointment was held this morning at the President’s Office. The oath of office was administered by Supreme Court Justice Abdulla Hameed, after which the Minister duly signed the declaration of oath.

Sweeping changes were made to the cabinet on Tuesday following the resignation of 10 ministers. They included:

• Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon – Minister of Defence  
• Dr. Abdulla Khaleel – Minister of Foreign Affairs  
• Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim – Minister of Health  
• Thoriq Ibrahim – Minister of Tourism and Environment  
• Dr. Aishath Shiham – Minister of Social and Family Development  
• Adam Naseer Ibrahim – Minister of Culture and Language  
• Maryam Mariya – Minister of Agriculture  
• Ibrahim Waheed – Minister of Youth  
• Adam Shareef Umar – Minister of Cities and Local Government  
• Dr. Ali Haidar Ahmed – Minister of Higher Education 

Following the resignations, the President appointed new ministers, with reassigned portfolios.

• Moosa Zameer – Minister of Finance and Public Enterprises  
• Ali Ihusaan – Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology  
• Dr. Iruthisham Adam – Minister of Foreign Affairs  
• Ismail Shafeeu – Minister of Education, Higher Education and Skills Development  
• Geela Ali – Minister of Health, Family and Welfare  
• Mohamed Saeed – Minister of Economic Development, Transport and Trade  
• Dr. Mohamed Shaheem Ali Saeed – Minister of Islamic Affairs and Endowments  
• Mohamed Ameen – Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation  
• Abdulla Rafiu – Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports and Fitness  
• Waleed – Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage  
• Dr. Abdulla Muthalib – Minister of Infrastructure, Housing and Urban Development  
• Ali Shareef – Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy 

Reshuffles in the administration, which began with the largest cabinet in Maldivian history, include the transfer of then‑Health Minister Abdulla Khaleel who was transferred to the Foreign Ministry, while the first Finance Minister, Dr. Mohamed Shafeeq, resigned and was replaced by Moosa Zameer, who previously headed the Foreign Ministry on December 30, 2024.

Nazim, appointed Health Minister on the same day, had earlier served as Principal Secretary to the President on Public Policy.

In December, the government also merged the Housing Ministry with the Planning Ministry, appointing Dr. Abdulla Muthalib to lead the combined portfolio. Haidar, who had been Housing Minister, was moved to Higher Education, replacing Dr. Mariya, who resigned as Agriculture Minister on Tuesday.

The latest reshuffle comes in the wake of the April 4 parliamentary elections, which delivered a major defeat for the government. The results have intensified public calls for changes within the cabinet.