Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology Aminath Shauna has revealed the government is formulating two laws related to cyber security. She made the remarks while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2022 at CROSSROADS Maldives.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Shauna highlighted the prevalence of digital technology and its increased usage after the COVID-19 pandemic. She noted that people and institutions now use digital technology to teach, make monetary transactions, and create and maintain relationships and communities. As such, she said steps need to be taken to strengthen cyber security.
Additionally, Minister Shauna noted the increase of cyber security-related issues and said they should not be left as problems to be resolved by companies, services, and individuals. She said authorities need to respond to such incidents and establish a system to maintain the integrity of the critical information infrastructure.
Furthermore, Minister Shauna said that security should be strengthened as more and more citizens become dependent on the internet and digital services. In this regard, she said the Government Digital Service Act and National Cyber Security Act will be drafted and sent to Parliament within the year. She warned that any weakness in cyber security poses huge risks for businesses and individuals. She also emphasised the importance of establishing a national cyber security agency and increasing awareness of children and the youth on cyber security.
At the ceremony, Vice President Naseem launched Cybersafe Maldives, which is a national-level initiative for raising awareness of cyber security arranged by the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT) and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology. Under the initiative, October will be marked as National Cyber Security Awareness month.