Honourable Ministers, Distinguished Guests, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
A very good morning to you all!
Much like our fellow Small Island Developing States, the Maldives has limited natural resources, lack of economic diversification and a small economic base, extremely vulnerable to external shocks, climate change, as well as difficulty in achieving debt sustainability.
We are an archipelagic state. 1192 islands spread across approximately 90,000 square kilometers. With a population that recently grew to 500,000 people.
Our challenges are unique to us; however the homogenous characteristics of these challenges will allow many SIDS to agree with us.
These challenges are inevitable and pose a significant challenge for any Government to provide a satisfactory level of public services, and to ensure an equitable level of development for all.
In this digital era, having the means to bridge this gap through technology is indeed a positive news for us: SIDS.
By embracing innovation and technology, we have the means to drive constructive transformation and overcome developmental barriers.
I am happy to say that the Maldives represents a success story in digital transformation.
Distinguished Guests,
Leveraging digital solutions enables us to adapt to climate change, enhance healthcare and education, improve public service delivery, diversify economies, and create more livelihood opportunities.
Additionally, it facilitates more effective governance and enhances citizen participation.
With innovation and technology on our side, we can turn challenges into opportunities, paving the way for a sustainable and prosperous future for all.
We achieved universal telephone coverage to all islands while we were still a Least Developed Country.
Today, through a myriad number of web applications and portals, we have been able to bring critical services such as utilities, healthcare, education, housing, social welfare services, to the fingertips of all Maldivians.
Looking ahead, we are exploring innovative uses for 5G such as a system to deliver medical supplies via a drone network, smart road systems, AI integrated GIS for erosion detection and environmental monitoring.
Distinguished Guests,
The recent report by UNDP on Small Island Digital States highlights the stark realities and challenges that lie at the intersection of digital transformation and cybersecurity.
Cybersecurity concerns mirror a global issue – unauthorized access, account hijacking, and data privacy breaches are becoming daily realities.
Robust cybersecurity infrastructure is not just desirable, it is fundamental.
The digital revolution brings with it a responsibility to educate and fortify the digital frontiers against those who would exploit them for nefarious ends.
And with this direction in mind, Maldives is further expanding the role of the National Centre for Information Technology, towards facilitating holistic national technology governance.
We have also established the National Cybersecurity Agency and aims to introduce necessary legislation to address the current security concerns, threats and trends emanating from the digital realm.
Distinguished Guests,
We are still in the process of transforming into a digital economy. Understandably, we can’t achieve this alone. Transformation requires international cooperation and an immense level of investments and partnerships.
Let me highlight three areas critical to our journey.
First, the Maldives seeks targeted investments to promote innovation and technology. To drive economic diversification. Enhance public services. And empower our workforce.
Second, the Maldives calls for technical expertise to develop and implement rigorous consumer protection laws, rules and regulations, drawing on global and regional best practices.
And finally, the Maldives emphasizes support for the inclusive participation in regional and international standard-setting negotiations, security fair representation in shaping the digital economy.
Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our commitment to achieving SDGs drives us to continuously invest in building the digital citizen, who are well equipped for the age of Artificial Intelligence and “Big Data”.
My government is committed to making further upgrades and introducing new digital services that will benefit all residents of Maldives. While each country has its own limitations, we want to put an emphasis on countries like ours. We want to show the international community the results of our resilience and strong determination that, despite the challenges we are constantly being faced, that it is possible to overcome them and bridge these gaps.
I hope that through the experience of “Smart Maldives: Journey towards a digitally inclusive community” ignites a journey of change, embracing what technology has to offer us.
Our hope today is to share our lessons in digitalization, to inspire you.
We have navigated treacherous currents, faced tempests of doubt, and charted our course through uncharted waters. But it is in our vulnerability—the soft sands of our limitations—that resilience takes root. Just as an island withstands the relentless tides, we too must rise above self-imposed boundaries.
Let us join hands and embrace the limitless opportunities ahead as we navigate towards a future where SIDS flourish in the digital age.
I thank you.