Analysing the digital Maldives, I believe it’s clear that the country has made notable progress in technology adoption, as evidenced by its High TII (Technological Infrastructure Index) and High HCI (Human Capital Index).
The Maldives is an upper-middle-income nation that relies heavily on a few industries, highlighting potential vulnerabilities in its economy.
In terms of e-governance, I think the Maldives shows promise with its high EGDI (E-Government Development Index) value, indicating a strong foundation for digital governance. However, its average EPI (E-Participation Index) suggests room for improvement in engaging citizens in digital processes.
Also, it’s interesting to note that the Maldives is among the few Small Island Developing States(SIDS) in Asia to achieve a high EGDI ranking, highlighting its relative success in leveraging technology for governance purposes. However, as I said before – there’s still work to be done to enhance e-participation and ensure that digital governance initiatives are inclusive and responsive to the needs of ALL citizens.
eFaas – the national digital ID system
Authorities in the Republic of Maldives introduced in 2023 a mobile app for their national digital ID system called eFaas. This was a great initiative and a great first step.
This app appears to streamline access to government services by providing a digital platform for identification and transactions.
One of the key features of eFaas is its use of facial recognition and biometrics for self-verification, which enhances security and privacy. This not only simplifies the authentication process but also reduces the reliance on physical identification documents, making transactions more convenient for users.
I believe that the eFaas app has the potential to boost e-participation in the digital Maldives by providing citizens with easier access to government services. With the app, individuals can complete transactions related to family, health, and business without the need for physical presence or extensive paperwork.
Moreover, the app’s ability to store digitised identification documents and streamline in-person verification processes further improves convenience for users. By eliminating the need to repeatedly enter login details, the app saves time and effort for individuals accessing services.
Seeing as e-participation needs some encouragement in the Maldives, this is a great first step toward that road.
One-Gov, a modern digital platform
The introduction of One-Gov in the digital Maldives is another game-changer in terms of digital governance.
This platform aims to make interactions between citizens and the government effortless by integrating all services into one modern digital platform.
Initially, the portal provided services from five government bodies, covering a range of essential areas such as economic development, housing, health, tourism, and local governance:
- the Ministry of Economic Development and trade
- Housing, Land and Urban Development
- Health Protection Agency (HPA),
- Ministry of Tourism,
- and the Fuvahmulah City Council.
This alone was a significant step forward in terms of accessibility and convenience for citizens.
Now, with 4 more government entities accessible through the portal, the scope of services available to citizens has expanded even further. This means that individuals can access a wider range of government services and information through a single platform.., simplifying their interactions with the government.
Connectivity is an issue in digital Maldives
Analysing the issue of connectivity in the digital Maldives, I believe it’s clear that while internet penetration is relatively high at 83.9%, there hasn’t been a significant improvement from 2022, according to data from the ITU. This suggests a stagnant growth rate, which may hinder the country’s digital development efforts.
With 435.8 thousand internet users (the whole population is 519.4 thousand), connectivity remains a concern despite the seemingly high penetration rate.
This may be attributed to factors such as infrastructure limitations, geographical challenges, or affordability issues, which could be inhibiting wider access to the Internet.
Moreover, the presence of 823.4 thousand cellular mobile connections, equivalent to 158.5% of the total population, raises questions about the quality and reliability of internet services.
While the high number of mobile connections may indicate widespread access, it’s essential to ensure that these connections offer sufficient speed and coverage to meet the digital needs of users effectively.
Final thoughts
Overall, I think addressing e-governancce issues in the digital Maldives requires a multifaceted approach, including investment in infrastructure, improving connectivity and/or its affordability and enhancing the quality of internet services.
Sources:
https://datareportal.com/reports/digital-2024-maldives
https://www.presidencymaldives.gov.mv/Press/Article/28580
https://idea.usaid.gov/cd/maldives/information-and-communications-technology-ict
https://publicadministration.un.org/egovkb/en-us/Data/Country-Information/id/104-Maldives
