Our team in Maldives

Akiko Fuiji is the UNDP country representative for Maldives since May 2019. Previously, she was the Deputy Resident Representative in UNDP Vietnam. She also served as DRR in the UNDP Multi-Country Office based in Fij, and previously held many positions in various UNDP country offices. Before joining UNDP, she worked for a community development NGO in Kyoto, Japan. Akiko holds an MA in Gender and Development Studies from Sussex University, UK. She also holds an MA in Human and Environmental Studies from Kyoto University, Japan.

Chiyo Kanda is the World Bank’s Country Manager for Maldives and Sri Lanka. She has held technical and managerial positions in the World Bank and other international development institutions for nearly 30 years. Prior to joining the South Asia Region, Chiyo worked as the Manager of the Results Unit of the Operations Policy and Country Services (OPCS), Operations Manager for the Philippines Country Management Unit and as deputy to the Country Director in Tanzania. She holds an MBA and a Master’s Degrees in Economics and in International Development.

Eric Falt is the Director and UNESCO Representative for New Delhi Cluster Office since May 2018. Before assuming his position, Eric served as the Assistant Director-General for External Relations and Public Information at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris. He also held the position of Director of the Outreach Division at UN Department of Public Information in New York, as well as Director of Communications for UNEP and UNIC for Kenya and Uganda. Before joining UN, he was posted for the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Chicago and New York.

Dr. M. Munir A. Safieldin is the UNICEF Representative to Maldives since August 2017. Before joining the Maldives team, Dr. Safieldin served as the UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria. He has over twenty-eight years of experience with development & emergency response programs in various countries. He also served as UNICEF Representative to Iran and Deputy Representative in Tanzania and the Sultanate of Oman. He holds a doctorate’s degree in Public Policy Analysis from Walden University (USA), a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Hull (UK), a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Social Studies from the University of Khartoum (Sudan).

Oscar Mundia is the UNHCR Chief of Mission for India and Maldives. Previously, he worked as the Senior Solutions Coordinator, Bureau of Africa at UNHCR Headquarters. He has served in many field operations as well as UNHCR Headquarters in various capacities for over 25 years of his career. He has also worked on secondment to the Department of Peace Keeping Operations with the UN Mission in Liberia as a Special Assistant to the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary General. Oscar holds a Master’s degree in Management from Thunderbird – American Graduate School of International Management in the USA; and a Bachelors’ in Political Science from the University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Rasha Omar is the IFAD Country Representative in India, and Head of the South Asia Sub-regional Hub of IFAD based in New Delhi. Prior to joining IFAD, she worked in the Kuwait Institute of Scientific Research as Research Assistant and in the Center for Development Services in Egypt as Training and Technical Assistance Manager. She joined IFAD in October 2001 and has participated in the management of country programmes focusing on natural resources management, community development and rural finance as means to alleviate rural poverty and foster social equity.

Sarat Dash is the Chief of Mission for IOM Srilanka and Maldives since March 2019. Previously, Sarat was working as the Chief of Mission of the Republic of Yemen, managing one of IOM’s largest humanitarian assistance programmes in the world. He also served as IOM’s Chief of Mission in Bangladesh and Nepal, and has served IOM in Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran and India in various capacities. Following the 2001 earthquake in the western Indian state of Gujarat in January 2001, he was assigned to lead IOM’s relief and rehabilitation programme for affected migrant workers and established first IOM presence in India.

Sergey Kapinos is the Representative for UNODC Regional Office for South Asia since November 2016. The Office covers six South Asian countries - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Prior to his appointment at UNODC, Sergey was Ambassador, Head of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Centre in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. He has two Master's degrees, one in Law from the Diplomatic Academy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation and one in Business and Administration from the Moscow State Institute of International Relations.

Ms. Shadiya Ibrahim the Assistant Representative of UNFPA in Maldives since November 2009. As the Head of Office, she leads the country team in the development and management of the UNFPA country programme of cooperation which supports efforts to achieve UNFPA’s transformative results contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. She has been in UNFPA in various portfolios since January 1997 with over 20 years of experience. She has a Masters in Social Change and Development, a Post Graduate Diploma in Social Science Research and Bachelors (hons) in Computing and Mathematics.

Dr Shushil Dev Pant is the WHO Representative to Maldives a.i. from 15 December 2020. He has served WHO in Nepal, DPR Korea and Maldives from 2004 onwards in various capacities. Dr Pant is a medical doctor with a post-graduate degree in Public Health.

Simrin Singh is the ILO Country Director for Maldives and Sri Lanka since April 2017. Ms. Singh has held various positions in different country offices and headquarters of ILO. Previously, she was the Senior Specialist on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work based in the ILO Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, Thailand. Ms. Singh holds a bachelor’s degree in Anthropology and Sociology from Connecticut College in the USA and a Master’s Degree in International Development Studies from The George Washington University, USA.

Sudhir Muralidharan has been heading the UNOPS office for Sri Lanka & Maldives since September 2017. He brings with him 15 years of international development experience with progressively higher responsibilities within UNOPS. Prior to joining UNOPS in 2005, Sudhir had a richly diversified experience of over 16 years within the Indian Private Sector. A qualified Chartered Accountant and Management Accountant by qualification, Sudhir has experience of working in various country contexts including India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, DPRK, Vietnam, Laos, and Indonesia besides Sri Lanka and The Maldives. He has in-depth experience in fiduciary oversight of IFAD and GFATM programs across the Asia Pacific Region.

Xuebing Sun is the FAO Representative for Sri Lanka and Maldives since June 2019. Mr. Sun is a Senior Environmental Economist by training with 32 years of working experience in the field. Xuebing has rich working experiences with bilateral development agencies, multilateral development financing institutions and private donors. His regional working experiences include developing countries and emerging economies in Asia and Africa. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy, a Master’s Degree in Rural Development, a Master’s Degree in Economics and a PhD in Environmental Economics.