Mohamed Hussain Shareef

Education

Shareef completed his primary and secondary education in the Maldives at Majeediyya School and in Sri Lanka at the Colombo International School (CIS) and the British School in Colombo (BSC).^[6] During his school years, he demonstrated strong linguistic and oratory skills, along with notable talents in sports, the arts, and leadership.^[6]

He pursued higher education in the United Kingdom, earning a Bachelor of Arts (Hons.) degree in Economics and Politics from the University of Warwick.^[7] Following his undergraduate studies, Mohamed immediately undertook a Master of Arts degree in Environmental Politics at Keele University.^[7]

After serving as Assistant Director and Head of the Environment Unit at the President's Office in the Maldives, Shareef returned to the University of Warwick for postgraduate research. In 2005, he completed an MPhil in Diplomacy and International Relations.^[7] His thesis was a comparative analysis of the negotiating positions of the Maldives and Malta at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties.^[7]

Environmental career

Shareef began his career at the President's Office in 1999 as Assistant Director, heading the Environment Unit.^[6] In this role, he supported President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's international efforts to raise awareness about climate change and the threat of sea level rise to the Maldives and other small island developing states (SIDS).^[6]

Public affairs

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami had a devastating impact on the Maldives, drawing Shareef into a public-facing role as a government spokesperson.^[6] His frequent appearances on international news networks resulted in his appointment as Deputy Chief Government Spokesman, and later, Chief Government Spokesman.^[6] Mohamed played a significant role in enhancing government communication by establishing the Strategic Communications Unit (SCU) at the President's Office, where he served as Presidential Spokesperson and Executive Director. He was also responsible for overseeing the Presidential Protocol Section.^[6]

Following the 2008 presidential election defeat, Mohamed transitioned to the Secretariat of Former President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, serving as his Special Assistant on Foreign Relations.^[6]

Minister of Human Resources, Youth and Sports

When President Mohamed Nasheed resigned in 2012, Mohamed Waheed Hassan assumed office. As a council member of the Progressive Party of Maldives (PPM), the largest party in Waheed's coalition, Shareef was appointed Minister of Human Resources, Youth, and Sports.^[8] At 34, he became the youngest person to hold this position in the Maldives.

During his tenure, Shareef focused on establishing state-run youth centres across all atolls and promoting youth employment and training. Under his leadership, the Maldives experienced significant success in sports, particularly in football and volleyball.^[6] He authored the Progressive Party of Maldives's Youth Manifesto and Sports Manifesto in 2013.^[6]

Political career

Shareef's political involvement began in 2005 when he joined the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party (DRP). He left the DRP in 2010 to join Gayoom in founding the PPM, where he served as the first Secretary General and Spokesman.^[6] He was later elected to the PPM's Interim and Governing Councils.^[6] Mohamed contributed to the party's electoral successes, including victories in multiple by-elections for parliamentary and local council seats. He played a key strategic role in the PPM's 2013 presidential election campaign and represented the party on the Elections Commission Advisory Committee during the election.^[6]

In 2013, Shareef was appointed Minister at the President's Office.^[9] During his tenure as Minister at the president's office, Shareef led the Maldives' delegations to the International Labour Organization (ILO) Ministerial Conference in 2012, the Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting in London, and the Commonwealth Youth Ministers Meeting in Papua New Guinea.^[6] He also represented the Maldives at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's Council of Foreign Ministers in Guinea in 2013 and attended the State Funeral of Nelson Mandela as a special envoy of the president.^[10][11]

Diplomatic career

Throughout his career, Shareef was involved in foreign affairs, often serving as a speechwriter and delegate for President Gayoom at major international events. He attended numerous United Nations General Assembly sessions, Non-Aligned Movement Summits, Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings, and SAARC summits.^[6] In 2006, he became the first Maldivian to interpret a speech at the UN General Assembly when President Gayoom addressed the gathering in Dhivehi.^[6]

On 19 December 2016, Shareef was appointed Ambassador of the Maldives to Japan by President Abdulla Yameen.^[12] He arrived in Japan the following year and presented his Letter of Credentials at the Imperial Palace on 14 April 2017.^[13] On 21 August of the same year, he was nominated by President Abdulla Yameen as the next Ambassador of Sri Lanka.^[14] He later presented his letter of credence to Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena on 23 October 2017.^[15] In 2018, he resigned as the ambassador.^[16] In 2023, Shareef was appointed Ambassador of the Maldives to the United Arab Emirates;^[17] he presented his credentials to Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in June 2024.^[18][19]