The Maldives has stressed the critical role of digital connectivity in advancing education, healthcare, and industry for Small Island Developing States (SIDS), emphasising the need for an open and secure internet.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr Abdulla Khaleel, highlighted this point during his address at the event Keep the Internet On! The Impact of Internet Shutdowns, held on the sidelines of the High-Level Segment of the 58th Session of the Human Rights Council. The event was hosted by the Permanent Mission of Estonia on behalf of the Freedom Online Coalition.
Dr Khaleel highlighted the significant strides the Maldives has made in expanding digital access and noted the outcomes of national efforts aimed at closing the digital divide. He acknowledged that the country’s dispersed geography presents a natural obstacle to seamless connectivity, making collective action essential to ensuring universal internet access.
Calling for global cooperation, the Minister reaffirmed the Maldives’ commitment to working alongside bilateral and multilateral partners to ensure that digitalisation benefits are distributed equitably. He stressed the importance of keeping the internet accessible as a space for opportunity, innovation, and creativity.
