Minister Ali Ihusaan Launches Digital for All Campaign to Drive Maldives 2.0

The Minister of Homeland Security, Labour and Technology, Ali Ihusaan, has warned that the Maldives' ambitious digital transformation will fail unless every citizen is equipped to use new technologies safely and confidently. Speaking at the launch of the 'Digital for All' campaign—a critical component of the Maldives 2.0 roadmap—Minister Ihusaan emphasized that physical infrastructure alone is insufficient to drive national progress. While the government continues to expand 5G networks and digital payment systems, the Minister noted that these tools are only effective if the population possesses the skills to utilize them. “Technology alone cannot transform a country,” Minister Ihusaan stated. “We can cable every island, roll out 5G, set up digital payment systems and build platforms, but without the confidence and skills of our people, we will ultimately fail.” The Digital for All initiative seeks to create a digitally aware and productive populace, allowing Maldivians to maximize the economic and social benefits of national infrastructure investments. Drawing a parallel to the national basic education programs of the 1970s that drastically improved literacy, the Minister argued that the modern equivalent is a nationwide focus on digital behavior, practical skills, and the safe application of emerging tools like artificial intelligence (AI). With sectors such as commerce, governance, healthcare, and education rapidly migrating online, the Minister insisted that human capital investment must match technical investment. He asserted that the vision of a 'digital first' country—where a citizen's opportunities are not limited by their geographic location—requires a population that can confidently navigate complex digital ecosystems. The government plans to evolve Digital for All into a comprehensive national capacity-building program spanning all atolls over the next three years. To ensure the campaign is inclusive, Minister Ihusaan called for a collaborative effort involving state institutions, private enterprises, local councils, NGOs, and foreign aid partners to ensure no citizen is left behind in the digital shift.