iCOM launches strategic action plan aimed at broadening public access to information

The Information Commissioner’s Office (iCOM) officially launched its Strategic Action Plan on Monday, aimed at broadening public access to information from the government.

Unveiled during this year’s RTI Symposium, the plan’s objectives are to enhance transparency in the Maldives, expand opportunities for requesting and receiving government information, and further strengthen the institutional capacity of ICOM.

The plan, which outlines a roadmap through 2031, focuses on refining and strengthening the Right to Information (RTI) Act. Developed with the financial support of the European Union, the initiative is a collaboration with UNDP Maldives under the "Accountability and Integrity Matters" (AIM) project.

According to UNDP Maldives, the strategic plan is based on institutional priorities and findings from a comprehensive capacity assessment of the commission conducted last year.

Notably, the failure of government institutions to provide requested information remains a significant challenge. Concerns have frequently been raised regarding the President’s Office’s non-responsiveness to RTI requests. According to iCOM’s statistics for last year, of the 712 complaints filed, 487 concerned instances in which government institutions failed to respond to information requests.

Amidst these challenges, the Minister of Homeland Security and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, previously suggested that a fee should be introduced for information requested under the RTI Act, citing the substantial costs incurred by the state in retrieving and disseminating such data.