Digital technology has become ubiquitous and transformed the world, enhancing economic growth, improving service delivery, expanding market access, and accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The recently launched 2025 Human Development Report - “A matter of choice: People and possibilities in the age of AI” highlights that the new era of Artificial Intelligence brings further changes to this landscape, creating new opportunities and challenges. 

 The pressure to “do something” is real, and to navigate this evolving digital landscape, it is crucial to have:

• High-quality digital infrastructure: Ensuring robust and widespread digital connectivity.
• A skilled workforce: Developing the necessary skills to leverage digital technologies effectively.
• A growth-enabling but rights-protecting governance framework: Creating policies that foster innovation while safeguarding individual rights.

These enablers are essential to ensure a meaningful and inclusive digital transformation.

The Maldives has recognized the transformative power of digitalization across its most recent government administrations and by articulating that digitalization is the cornerstone of the Maldives’ national vision for its future has put forward the 2025 Digital 2.0 Maldives framework that aims to confirm a long-standing commitment to building a digitally empowered nation. Modernizing public services, strengthening digital infrastructure, and promoting citizen-centered service delivery are objectives set to be aligned with “good governance” principles like such as transparency, inclusivity, and unified governance. Ultimately Maldives will need to learn from its experiences of an often fragmented progress to a more cohesive, future-ready digital way of conducting itself, while still building the foundational capacity to govern it. Maldives ranks 94th out of 193 countries in the 2024 UN E-Government Development Index While this places it at the forefront of the South Asia region, there is still room for improvement. Internet coverage is high, and the use of digital tools among the population continues to grow. Maldives commitment to digitalizing public services is evident through efforts to develop Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) systems like e-Faas. Similarly, the OneGov initiative, which provides single sign(s)-on for accessing government services, is a positive step. However, further integration and mainstreaming of these systems are key and much needed. A strong governance framework is auspicabile to ensure that digital systems function securely and equitably. Key pillars include data protection, cybersecurity, and regulatory clarity. AI governance is also an emerging area of focus. As dedicated regulatory approaches develop globally, the Maldives must adopt a model that supports innovation while safeguarding individual rights.

Digital literacy is crucial for the general population to effectively navigate daily activities, including accessing digital government services. In many countries, basic digital skills are often lacking among certain groups, such as senior citizens, women, persons with disabilities, and those living in rural/remote areas. Maldives has yet to identify the specific skills required, assess current competency levels, or pinpoint gaps within the population. These steps are essential preconditions for designing relevant training initiatives. Addressing these areas would lay a stronger foundation for a more targeted training efforts, school curriculum reform, and lifelong learning programs.

At the same time, a digitally enabled economy also relies on a future-ready public sector. Developing technical expertise to create and procure complex IT systems is one aspect of this, necessitating the attraction and retention of talent within all level of public administration. Equally important is fostering general digital competencies among all public sector staff, including cybersecurity awareness and responsible AI use. Periodic, mandatory online training provides a scalable opportunity to embed these essential skills across public civil service.

Beyond the public sector, a thriving ICT industry can create high-value jobs and contribute to economic diversification. However, the Maldives' ICT sector faces early-stage challenges, including the lack of a clearly defined niche. One potential strategy is to leverage the country's strength in tourism by developing related digital services. Alternatively, the Maldives could position itself as a leader in emerging fields such as responsible AI, where global competition is still limited. Establishing an ICT industry body could help coordinate firms, identify strategic focus areas, and support collaboration and scaling. The public sector also plays a crucial role in enabling ecosystem development. By requiring international tech firms to partner with local companies when delivering government contracts, the Maldives can ensure quality outcomes while helping domestic firms build capacity. Small but well-designed reforms can drive broader industry development.

The Maldives stands at a critical juncture. With sustained political will, a connected population, and early progress in digital service delivery, the country is well positioned to turn digital transformation into real benefits for its people. But success will require moving beyond isolated initiatives. A comprehensive strategy that integrates governance, infrastructure, policy, economic development, and skills can help the government set direction, and prioritize and sequence actions. It can also support the identification of initiatives by drawing on good practices and lessons from a range of international experiences and contexts, tailored to the Maldives' state of development and other unique needs.

A focus on strengthening institutional capacity, supporting targeted skill development, and creating the conditions for innovation and job creation will be essential. This includes helping local firms identify their niche and grow in scale. 

Responsible digital transformation isn’t a checklist — it’s a public capability, built through practice, context, and time. It can’t be delivered by frameworks alone or handed off to others. It must be owned, tested, questioned, and constantly adapted by the institutions that rely on it. Acting now will allow the Maldives to transform its digital potential into inclusive growth, resilient institutions, and globally competitive industries.

The State of Digital in the Maldives Report – An In-Depth Assessment and Policy Note on Digital in the Maldives – Pathways to Development unpack the building blocks of a resilient digital future can be accessed at: https://www.undp.org/maldives/publications/state-digital-maldives-depth-assessment

Policy Note - Digital in the Maldives: Pathways to Development can be accessed at: https://www.undp.org/maldives/publications/digital-maldives-pathways-development