President His Excellency Dr Mohamed Muizzu highlighted that one-third of the global population lacks internet access, particularly in developing countries, hindering development and justice. Speaking as Co-Chair at the Summit of the Future's "Interactive Dialogue 3: Towards a Common Digital Future," he called for policies to ensure no one is left behind.
In his remarks, the President made three key suggestions:
1. Empowering Youth: He urged initiatives to empower young people in the digital economy and emphasised investing in digital skills and re-skilling to drive local innovation and economic diversification.
2. Building Digital Infrastructure: He stressed the importance of building digital infrastructure to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, noting that the Maldives' National Centre for Information Technology is already working on this.
3. Safeguarding Rights: He emphasised the need to protect consumer rights in digitalization, addressing challenges like unauthorized access and data privacy. The Maldives has established the National Cybersecurity Agency to tackle these concerns.
The President concluded by reaffirming the Maldives' commitment to creating an inclusive, resilient, and just digital world, emphasising the importance of harnessing the digital revolution for a common future.