Electronic governance in the Maldives: status, issues and plans

The concept of Electronic Governance is well accepted today as a key strategy for modernizing publicadministration, for improving public service delivery and for good governance. With rapid development of Informationand Communication Technologies (ICT) and increasing awareness of the benefits of Electronic Governance, ICT-enabled transformation of governance processes is becoming part of national development strategies in the developingworld. In particular, Electronic Governance programs are increasingly aligned with core development objectives,strategically utilized to tackle major development challenges like the United Nations Millennium Development Goals(MDGs). In this paper, we present the landscape of Electronic Governance in the Maldives. First, we present thedevelopment context of the nation. Next, we highlight the state of Electronic Governance in the country in terms of:regional and sub-regional performance, impact on the quality of governance including participation and accountability,and the effectiveness of the government itself. Finally, we discuss policy and strategy frameworks for ElectronicGovernance in the Maldives, and propose a set of recommendations.