Rishfa Rasheed assumed charge as Director (Social Affairs) at the SAARC Secretariat on 7 August 2017.
Ms. Rasheed joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives in 2001, and has served the Maldives Foreign Service in many capacities, both at the Capital as well as in diplomatic Missions.
Rishfa Rasheed was Head of the Americas and Oceania Division under the Bilateral Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Maldives, since January 2017 until her assignment to SAARC. Prior to that, Ms. Rasheed was heading India Division and SAARC Division at the Ministry, where she oversaw and monitored the work of the two divisions, from August to December 2016.
During the period February 2013 to July 2016, Ms Rasheed was initially First Secretary and later promoted to Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Maldives to the United Nations Office and other International Organisations in Geneva. She was also serving as the Chargé d’ affaires, for the period August 2014 to February 2015. During her tenure in Geneva, she actively represented the Maldives at many international fora – mainly at UN Human Rights Council, World Health Organisation, World Trade Organisation, among others.
Ms. Rasheed was a representative of the Maldives at the 66th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, from September till December 2011, where she worked on 2nd and 3rd Committee of the Assembly. She had also been part of various Ministerial visits and State Visits during her service duration at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From 2007 – 2011, Ms. Rasheed was posted as Third Secretary (Consular and Protocol), and later promoted to Second Secretary focusing on bilateral issues, at the High Commission of Maldives in New Delhi, India.
Ms. Rishfa Rasheed completed her Bachelor’s Degree (First Class) in Bangalore University, India. She is proficient in Dhivehi (native tongue) and English, and has limited proficiency in Hindhi/Urdu and Arabic.
Ms. Rasheed has a long history of volunteering at the Maldives Girl Guide Association, where she also held the post of the President of the Open Company in 1999. She also enjoys reading, cooking and travelling.
