He joined the Maldives Foreign Service in May 1985 and served in a number of posts within the Foreign Ministry, including additional secretary of the Policy Planning Division, director general of the Foreign Relations Directorate, director general of the Department for External Resources, and assistant director of the Research Division.[3] He was the lead figure tasked with coordinating international relief aid in the aftermath of the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunamiin the Maldives.[4][5] From November 2013 to July 2017 he was foreign secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.[4]
On 9 July 2017 he was appointed by President Abdulla Yameen as ambassador and permanent representative, succeeding Ahmed Sareer, who replaced him as foreign secretary.[6] He took office as Permanent Representative to the United Nations on 17 July 2017 and presented his credentials to U.S. PresidentDonald Trump on 21 July 2017.[4][7] He was succeeded by Thilmeeza Hussain in May 2019.[8]