Shauna appointed to UN Ocean Decade Advisory Board

Former Minister of Environment Aminath Shauna has been appointed as a member of the UN Ocean Decade Advisory Board.

Shauna was selected to the 15-member board from among more than 200 nominations. Ten new members were appointed for a two-year term.

Her appointment has now been confirmed on the board’s official website.

The Ocean Decade refers to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, declared by the UN General Assembly for the period from 2021 to 2039. The initiative is coordinated by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC).

The Ocean Decade Advisory Board is responsible for providing oversight and guidance on the activities carried out under the Decade. Its role includes advising UNESCO’s IOC on matters related to marine biodiversity, based on scientific data, research, and policy frameworks, in line with the objectives set out by the UN General Assembly.

UNESCO’s IOC comprises 152 member states and is tasked with strengthening international cooperation in ocean science and ocean governance.

Shauna served as Minister of Environment from 2021 to 2023 during the administration of former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih. Prior to that, she was Policy Secretary at the President’s Office under the same administration. She also served as Under Secretary to the President during the government of former President Mohamed Nasheed and previously worked as a journalist with the Independent newspaper.