Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm.

Your Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a profound honour to represent the Republic of Maldives at this historic signing ceremony. Allow me at the outset to extend our deepest appreciation to the Government of Viet Nam for their gracious hospitality and leadership in hosting this momentous event.

Today marks a pivotal moment in our collective commitment to building a safer, more secure digital future for all nations and peoples.

The Maldives stands at a decisive moment in its digital journey.

Under the visionary leadership of His Excellency President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu, we have set an ambitious national target: for the digital economy to contribute 15 percent of our total GDP by the year 2030.

Central to this vision is Maldives 2.0 – a comprehensive and forward-looking digital transformation initiative that seeks to create a transparent, efficient, and citizen-centric digital ecosystem.

Through Maldives 2.0, we are building new digital infrastructure.

Empowering every citizen with control over their own data.

Eliminating bureaucratic inefficiencies.

And opening new opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship.

We are determined to ensure that every island, every business, and every individual in the Maldives is digitally empowered. This transformation will be underpinned by the implementation of digital identities and interoperability, fostering a digital economy, and creating governance for digital development.

But digital transformation presents a profound challenge.

As we expand our digital footprint, we simultaneously expand our exposure to cyber threats.

This is where the UN Convention against Cybercrime becomes more than a legal instrument. It is a vital framework for our national strategy.

For Small Island Developing States like the Maldives, cybercrime poses a disproportionately severe threat.

Our limited technical capacity, smaller pools of specialised expertise, and constrained resources make us particularly vulnerable. Yet we will not allow these vulnerabilities to constrain our digital ambitions.

We recognise that our digital future and our security are two sides of the same coin. We cannot achieve one without the other.

This government has demonstrated its proactiveness in regard to cybersecurity through the establishment of the National Cyber Security Agency.

This underscores our commitment to safeguarding our citizens, our critical infrastructure, and our economy from cyber threats.

Today, by signing this Convention, the Maldives reaffirm that commitment to the international community.

We offer a pledge to:

• Implement robust measures to prevent and combat cybercrime.
• Criminalise cyber offences in accordance with international standards.

And most importantly, to strengthen our cooperation with all partners in investigating and prosecuting cybercriminals.

This Convention provides essential frameworks for international cooperation and the capacity-building support that developing nations desperately need.

The technical assistance, training, and exchange of information mandated by the Convention will enhance the skills of our law enforcement, our judiciary, and our cybersecurity agencies.

It will help close the technological and security gap between developing and advanced economies – a gap that cybercriminals exploit.

For the Maldives, these are not abstract gains. They are essential to ensuring that we can participate in the global digital economy safely, securely, and confidently.

The Maldives stands ready to work with all States Parties, with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that this Convention delivers on its promise.

Together, we can build a cyberspace that is not only connected and innovative, but also safe, secure, and firmly rooted in respect for human rights and the rule of law.

Thank you.