Dr. Mohamed Kinaanath, Minister of State for Homeland Security and Technology
Dr. Mohamed Kinaanath is a National Award-Winning Technologist in the Maldives. He is the Minister of State for Homeland Security and Technology. He is heading three technology Government agencies in the Maldives: Head of National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT), Head of National
Cybersecurity Agency (NCSA) and the Head of Communication Authority of Maldives (CAM).
Dr. Kinaanath has a Doctoral Degree in “PhD in Information Technology” from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He has a “Master of e-Commerce” at Distinction Level from Griffith University, Australia. He has a Undergraduate Honours Degree in “Computer Science” from University of
Brighton, UK.
Dr. Kinaanath is an Assistant Professor in ICT and Artificial Intelligence. He worked at The President’s Office, UNICEF Maldives Office, Villa College as the Head of Information Technology over a period of 28 years. He lectured at higher education institutions in the Maldives and New Zealand. He has taught over
10,000 students in the area of: ICT and Research. He also has supervised 130 Master’s Degree Dissertations and 100 Undergraduate Final Year Projects.
Title
Smart Maldives: Successful journey towards digital service
Abstract
The Smart Nation initiative is a whole-of-nation effort led by the Maldives to build a thriving digital future for all. The Maldives government placed special priority on strengthening and expanding the country’s digital economy. The nation’s success story in digital transformation has paved the way for adaptive solutions in healthcare, education, public services, and economic diversification. Digitalisation in the Maldives is a key government priority under the “Maldives 2.0” initiative, a national strategy to create a digital-first economy and transform public service delivery over the next three years. This strategy, launched in May 2025, focuses on building digital infrastructure, enabling digital national identity, promoting remote work, enhancing digital learning, and achieving economic diversification beyond tourism.