President appeals for foreign cooperation in Maldivian economy’s digital transformation

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, on Tuesday, has appealed for international cooperation, investments, and partnerships in the process of Maldivian economy’s transformation into a digital economy.

He made the appeal during his keynote address at the “Smart Maldives: Journey towards a digitally inclusive community” side-event held at the fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS).

In his address, President Muizzu called upon the international community to join hands in navigating towards a future where SIDS flourish in the digital age.

He particularly underscored that Maldives is in the process of transforming into a digital economy, and in this trajectory, appealed for international cooperation, investments, and partnerships to support this transformation.

On this note, he highlighted the Maldives' pursuit of targeted investments to advance innovation and technology. He also spoke regarding the need for technical assistance to the Maldives to create and implement strict consumer protection laws, rules, and regulations aligned with regional and international best practices. 

Speaking further, President Muizzu emphasized the importance of support for inclusive participation in regional and international standard-setting negotiations, as well as fair representation in shaping the digital economy.

Noting his administration’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)’s, the President said Maldives continuously invests in building digital citizens who are well-versed for the age of Artificial Intelligence and “Big Data.”

He also underlined the administration’s commitment to introducing new digital services that will benefit all residents of the Maldives. In this regard, President Muizzu said his administration intends to demonstrate the results of the Maldives’ resilience and strong determination to the international community, adding that despite the challenges constantly faced, overcoming them and bridging the limitations is possible.

“We have navigated treacherous currents, faced tempests of doubt, and charted our course through uncharted waters. But it is in our vulnerability—the soft sands of our limitations—that resilience takes root. Just as an island withstands the relentless tides, we too must rise above self-imposed boundaries,” he remarked, while concluding his address.

The “Smart Maldives: Journey towards a digitally inclusive community” side-event was organized by the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Development, the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology, and the National Centre for Information Technology.