President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has announced plans to enhance the country’s digital identification system, eFaas, to meet international standards and integrate all Government services.

Speaking during his Presidential Address at the Parliament session, he outlined his vision for a comprehensive digital transformation, aiming to modernise public services and improve efficiency across state institutions.

The President noted that while eFaas was initially developed as a digital ID, it does not currently align with global best practices.

To address this, the Government plans to upgrade the system, ensuring it meets international standards and provides seamless access to essential services.

A focus of the initiative will be the development of an open data-sharing platform, allowing state services to be accessed through applications linked to digital identities. He described this as a step towards a broader digital revolution, one that would bring modern technological advancements into everyday life in the Maldives.

The initiative is expected to bring significant benefits, including reducing corruption by increasing transparency in Government processes. The President highlighted the need for citizens to have direct access to Government policies, making decision-making more open.

The system will also help eliminate bureaucratic inefficiencies, cutting down the time spent on paperwork and manual verification. With a more integrated digital platform, Government agencies will be able to track applications and service requests instantly, ensuring smoother and faster processing.

Another key improvement will be the ability for individuals to monitor their own records in real time, providing a greater sense of security and trust in the system.

As part of the broader digital transformation, the President stressed the importance of establishing a unified standard for digitisation across all state institutions. He expressed his commitment to introducing modern, internationally recognised methods of digital credibility, making technology a central part of daily life in the Maldives.

To achieve this, the Government is preparing to launch a four-year project with the full support of public institutions, civil servants, and the wider Maldivian community.

The Maldivian cabinet has already approved principles to guide the digitisation of Government services. These include the creation of a national sovereign cloud to ensure secure data handling, the expansion of data centre resources, and improvements to digital archives.

Plans are also in place for the introduction of digital signatures that comply with international e-Identification standards.