The Maldives Digital Service (MDS), under the Ministry of Homeland Security and Technology, in collaboration with the World Bank, will convene the Maldives Digital Summit 2026 from 27^th to 29^th April 2026 at the Barceló Nasandhura Hotel, Malé. The summit represents a major milestone in advancing the Maldives 2.0 Vision: The Government’s ambitious agenda to build a resilient, inclusive, and digitally enabled nation.

The Maldives Digital Summit will bring together national leaders, international policymakers as well as global digital transformation experts to accelerate progress on key digital public infrastructure initiatives. The event is being held as part of the Digital Maldives for Adaptation, Decentralization and Diversification (DMADD) Project, supported by the World Bank, which aims to strengthen foundational digital systems critical for modern public service delivery. This includes foundational systems such as digital ID, data exchange platforms, and interoperable service delivery frameworks.

Advancing Maldives 2.0 through Global Knowledge and Local Leadership

The summit is designed to foster high-level dialogue and practical engagement on strengthening institutional coordination, modernizing public services, and enabling data-driven governance. Participants will explore global best practices and real-world experiences in designing, governing, and operationalizing Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), with a strong focus on citizen-centric outcomes.

Internationally renowned speakers will share lessons from leading digital governments, including

1.     Mr. Iurie Turcanu, former Deputy Prime Minister for Digitalization, Moldova

2.     Mr. Yoon-seok Ko, Vice President, National Information Society Agency, South Korea

3.     Ms. Jessica McEvoy, former Programme Director, Government Digital Service, United Kingdom

Key Focus Areas of the Summit

Discussions and sessions throughout the event will focus on critical pillars of the Maldives’ digital transformation journey, including:

o   Governance and Institutional coordination for digital transformation

o   Secure and interoperable data sharing through a National Data Exchange Platform

o   Citizen-centric service design to improve accessibility and efficiency

o   Digital identity systems and trusted digital transactions, including eFaas

o   Responsible adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies

o   Developing a clear and actionable implementation roadmap for Maldives 2.0 from Strategic Dialogue to Practical Implementation

The three-day event is structured to ensure both strategic alignment and hands-on capacity building:

o   Day 1 – High-Level Summit (27 April 2026): Vision-setting and Strategic Dialogue, international country experiences, panel discussions, and thematic sessions aimed at senior decision-makers.

o   Days 2–3 – Technical Workshops (28–29 April 2026): In-depth workshops covering citizen experience design, national data exchange platform implementation, digital identity enhancements, Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) and ID modernization, and interactive practical exercises.

Strengthening Capacity and Partnerships

The summit will convene senior government officials, digital transformation officers, technical agencies, international experts, development partners, and private sector stakeholders. Key participating institutions include the President’s Office, line ministries, Maldives Digital Service (MDS), MINDCo, the Department of National Registration (DNR), and World Bank representatives.

Expected outcomes of the Maldives Digital Summit include stronger alignment on the Maldives 2.0 implementation agenda, enhanced institutional capacity across government, a clearer roadmap for digital ID and data-sharing platforms, and strengthened partnerships with global digital leaders. The event will also help identify priority actions and next steps under the DMADD project.

A Milestone for a Digital-First Maldives

The Maldives Digital Summit underscores the Government’s continued commitment to transforming public service delivery through technology, innovation, and collaboration. By combining global expertise with national leadership, the summit aims to translate vision into action: laying the foundation for a resilient, data-driven, and citizen-centric digital future for the Maldives.