The Maldives government is set to test digital signatures by the end of March 2023, the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, and Technology has said.
The service will be added to the existing Government e-Letter Management System (GEMS), and the digital signature will eliminate the need to print out application forms and scan documents before they can be processed.
Minister Aminath Shauna said on Twitter that the government's plans to change GEMS' inter-office communication system will be a big step towards digitising its services.
We are transforming the government e-letter management system. This is an essential step for a digital government. https://t.co/keHmZVF5qq
— Shauna Aminath 🎈❓ (@anuahsa) March 1, 2023
The Maldives government has been working to increase its digital infrastructure to improve service quality, with the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation introducing digital licence cards in January, and the Department of National Registration (DNR) preparing to launch digital national identity cards.
GEMS was put in place in 2010 to improve communication between government agencies, cut down on the use of paper, and reduce spending. The integration of digital signatures is another innovative change that will improve the government's digital infrastructure.