IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

For nearly as long as there have been cities, there have been efforts to create ideal cities. The Italian Renaissance saw the birth of places like Pienza and Palmanova, exquisitely planned centers that were monuments to humanistic thinking. In the 20th century, Brazil's Brasilia and India's Chandigarh fused political goals with avant-garde architecture. The dream seems ever constant: to fashion that fresh start, to build a living prototype that will inspire the world.

Telemedicine is a combination of medical and telecommunication equipment that allows doctors to examine patients hundreds of kilometres away, usually with the assistance of a trained nurse at the patient’s end.

The Maldives’ first telemedicine facility was donated by Dhiraagu in late December 2010, and installed on Thinadhoo in Gaaf Dhaal at a cost of Rf 2 million (US$155,000).

The Dhiraagu Domestic Submarine Cable Network (DDSCN) is a 1253 km length fibre optic submarine cable which first came ashore on the island of Kulhudhuffushi, capital of the Haa Dhaalu Atoll in the north of the Maldives.

These visionary projects pioneer eco-friendly innovations without compromising luxury, aiming to create ethical urban paradigms for tomorrow

Major cities worldwide, once envisioned as the locus of advancement, are no longer immune to nature’s wrath. From increased water levels to temperature rise to overpopulation, climate change has the world in a chokehold.

A report published by the World Bank, titled “Thriving: Making Cities Green, Resilient and Inclusive in Changing Climate,” indicates that the frequency of extreme heat increased across cities globally from the 1970s to 2020, whereas the sea-level rise of about 0.125 millimetres per year has also increased the risk of flooding for coastal cities. These effects have been quadrupled with the impacts of overtourism, which include resource depletion and increased pollution. Several destinations that have always been on a traveller’s radar are facing the brunt of this. Be it the romantic city of Venice or the buzzing capital of Jakarta and the serene Maldives, they are all staring at a grim future.

Shareef has been actively involved in Maldives’ e-Government development since NCIT was established in 2003 by the Government of Maldives as the main government agency for the development, promotion and propagation of IT in the country.

The Members noted that consolidation of main ICT resources was required to strengthen the government ICT infrastructure in terms of better management, information security and cost effective use of all ICT resources. It was also noted that strengthening ICT infrastructure would help to set process and services inline with government mandates for rapid and efficient outcomes which applies for all government deliverables.

As part of the E-Government project initiated to provide government services with the most advanced technology, the internet portal consists of important information from government agencies.

While more than 300 forms of different government agencies can be downloaded from “egov.mv,” accessible in both English and local Dhivehi language, it contains information on service hours, important contact information of agencies and senior government officials and NGO listings.

The objective of the retreat was to create awareness and build commitment and consensus amongst the leadership of the nation for development of electronic governance. The one-day retreat aimed at Cabinet Ministers, State Ministers, political appointees and heads of other government institutions, was held at Aarah.

Briefing on the system, Chief Executive of the centre Faiq Umar said communications among government authorities would be exchanged through the “Government E-letter Management System” (GEMS).

The President made this remark at the Dhiraagu High-Speed Network Rollout held in Haa Dhaalu Kulhudhuffushi. The project is undertaken by Dhiraagu, in collaboration with Japan’s NEC to lay out a fibre optic submarine cable network from North to South across the Maldives.

Minister of Communications, Science and Technology Maleeh Jameel, on Thursday, asserted the necessity of greater investment to promote E-Government in Maldives.

The minister expressed the sentiment while participating in the United Nations (UN) E-Government Survey Asia Pacific Regional Webinar 2020, which was hosted by UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

After the ceremony held on Wednesday to open the new hospital in Fuvahmulah, Health Minister Dr Jameel told Haveeru that telemedicine kiosks have already been installed in Dhaal atoll Kudahuvadhoo, Baa atoll Eydhafushi and Lhaviyani atoll Naifaru to provide the service in the islands.

Final preparations are underway in the islands to begin providing the service under Integrated Human Development Project, she added.

Qatari telecoms company Ooredoo has launched a new data center in the Hulhumalé smart city in the Maldives.

The facility is built to Tier III standards, but not yet certified. Given its location, the data center is designed to be flood-resistant up to seven meters.

"We believe that the Maldives can potentially offer a very high availability for all types of Data Centre services, connecting local and regional businesses to uninterrupted connectivity and unlimited possibilities by eliminating geographical challenges, ensuring business continuity and stable growth," Ooredoo Maldives CEO Najib Khan said.

T-Hub, a major player in the start-up ecosystem, has recently entered into a partnership with Urbanco, an urban development corporation based in the Maldives. The primary objective of this collaboration is to foster innovation and contribute to the advancement of smart and sustainable cities within the archipelagic nation.

According to Mahankali Srinivas Rao, the CEO of T-Hub, the aim is to provide support for Urbanco's plan of transforming Maldivian cities into intelligent and sustainable urban centers. Leveraging its extensive network of start-ups and expertise, T-Hub will work towards customising and implementing innovative solutions that align with the unique ecosystem of the Maldives.