Fisheries Minister Holds High-Level Talks with IsDB Regional Head on Major Sector Infrastructure

Minister of Fisheries, Agriculture and Ocean Resources Ahmed Shiyam met yesterday with Ali Muhammad Khan, Head of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group Regional Hub in Dhaka, at the ministry headquarters in Malé to discuss accelerating two critical national fisheries development initiatives.

The high-level discussions centered on advancing the implementation of the Refrigerated Sea Water (RSW) Project and the Maldives Fish Sector Capacity Strengthening Project. Both projects are designed to modernize onboard fish preservation systems, upgrade processing infrastructure, and build long-term operational capacity across the fishing industry.

The strategic session was attended by Minister Ahmed Shiyam, State Minister for Finance Hussain Sham Adam, and Maldives Industrial Fisheries Company (MIFCO) Chief Executive Officer Mohamed Anas, highlighting the multi-agency coordination required to execute the multilateral bank's technical and financial frameworks.

The meeting follows a field assessment conducted on September 22, 2026, when the Ministry facilitated an official site visit for the visiting IsDB Mission to the Hulhumalé Fish Aggregating Device (FAD) Centre. During the facility inspection, the IsDB delegation was briefed on the centre’s strategic role in reinforcing national maritime infrastructure, enhancing operational efficiency for local fishing fleets, and supporting sustainable fisheries management. Ministry officials presented the key structural and operational requirements needed to fully establish the Hulhumalé FAD Centre as a primary hub for regional fisheries support.