National digital identification system to be established in Maldives

The cabinet, on Tuesday, has decided to establish a national digital identification system in the Maldives.

President Solih, upon the recommendation of his cabinet, decided to establish a national digital identification system at a cabinet meeting held this afternoon at the President’s Office.

The paper was proposed at the meeting by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology.

Establishing and adopting a National Digital Identification System is carried out under the current administration’s National Resilience and Recovery Plan.

The system would be developed and maintained by the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT) and the Department of National Registration (DNR).

This system will enable the adoption of biometric technologies in DNRs' identity management systems and the introduction of contactless identification cards. NICT and DNR would also develop digital identification applications for smartphones and extend the use of the digital identification platform to the private sector.

President Solih announced that a digital identification system will be established within the next two years in last September.