UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has issued a federal decree appointing Brigadier Dr. Ali Abdullah bin Daan Al Ghafli as Secretary-General of the Office of the Minister of Interior.
The appointment carries the rank of ministry undersecretary, according to the Emirates News Agency.
Al Ghafli brings several years of senior administrative and police-sector experience to the role. Since 2022, he has served as Director-General of the Office of the Minister of Interior.
His previous positions also include Deputy Director-General for Ministry Affairs at the General Secretariat of the Office of the Minister of Interior and Director of the Corporate Excellence Department.
The appointment therefore places an official with experience in ministerial administration, institutional performance and police management in a senior coordinating role within the minister’s office.
WAM reported that Al Ghafli has received a number of honours and medals during his police career. He was also awarded the Sword of Honour from the Abu Dhabi Police College.
His academic background includes a PhD in Policy Development and Management from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom and a bachelor’s degree in Police Sciences from the Abu Dhabi Police College.
The Secretary-General position sits within the administrative structure supporting the Office of the Minister of Interior. While the decree establishes the appointment and rank, the announcement did not set out new policy measures or organisational changes linked to the appointment.
The move is therefore best understood as a senior federal personnel decision. Any subsequent changes to the office’s responsibilities, programmes or organisational structure would require separate official announcements.
The decree took effect as part of the UAE’s federal administrative framework, with Al Ghafli moving into the Secretary-General role after already serving in senior positions connected to the minister’s office.
