The People’s Majlis has accepted two government bills central to the country’s digital agenda, the Maldives 2.0 Digital Transformation Bill and the Digital Identity Bill, moving both forward for committee review.
Both bills were accepted unanimously by the members who voted, following a wide-ranging debate on the floor. The Maldives 2.0 Digital Transformation Bill was introduced on behalf of the government by Gadhdhoo MP Mohamed Ali, while the Digital Identity Bill was presented by Alifushi MP Abdulla Latheef Abdul Rahman. The government submitted the two bills to parliament last month.
The legislation forms part of Maldives 2.0, the national digital transformation vision set out by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, which seeks to make the country a digital-first state and to deliver government services through modern technology over a rollout planned across roughly three years. Officials have presented the program as a way to improve the reliability and transparency of public services while strengthening the security of national data.
A New State Digital Agency
Under the Digital Transformation Bill, the government would establish a state body called Maldives Digital Service to coordinate and run the country’s digital transformation and digital governance systems. The bill provides for the creation of an interoperable digital ecosystem, along with registries that state institutions can rely on to establish the authoritative source of data processed across different information systems, and a framework for sharing data securely between them.
The bill also assigns Maldives Digital Service responsibility for delivering all of the state’s information and communications technology services and for maintaining the government’s computer network and infrastructure. Once enacted, it would formally establish the Maldives 2.0 program under a digital-first policy, intended to modernize state services and administration and to build a system that the public can trust.
Rules for Digital Identity
The Digital Identity Bill sets out how identity is to be verified when individuals carry out online transactions and seek services from state institutions, legal entities, and other parties. It requires the system to be designed and operated in a way that protects the information used to confirm a person’s identity.
The bill details the obligations of those who provide identity information and operate within the system, and it specifies the circumstances in which the use of identity and personal data is prohibited. It also calls for the creation of a Digital Identity Technical Advisory Committee to guide the operation and development of the system. Under the proposed framework, the committee would be formed within 90 days of the law taking effect, and the identity system would extend beyond citizens to cover Maldivians living abroad, residence permit applicants, and service providers connected to the country.
Following their acceptance, both bills were sent to the Information and Communication Technology Committee for study. They advance alongside other elements of the government’s digital legislative package, including a Cyber Security Bill and a Personal Data Protection Bill, which together are intended to lay the legal foundation for the Maldives’ broader digital transformation.
