MALÉ: The Maldivian government’s primary websites, including those of the President, Foreign Ministry, and Tourism Ministry, were successfully restored after several hours of inaccessibility. The cause, attributed to “technical issues,” left these official portals unreachable for an extended period.
The President of Maldives’ website, along with other crucial government platforms, faced disruptions on the night of January 6, raising concerns about potential cyber threats or system failures.
While the specific reasons for the outage remain unclear, the Maldives President’s office acknowledged the technical disruption and assured that the National Centre for Information Technology and other relevant entities are actively working to resolve the issue promptly.
“Please note that the President’s Office website is currently facing an unexpected technical disruption. NCIT and other relevant entities are actively working on resolving this promptly. We apologize for any inconvenience caused. Thank you for your understanding and patience,” stated the official communication.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Maldivian Tourism Ministry’s website also experienced temporary unavailability but has since been restored.
Additionally, amidst these technical challenges, the President of the Maldives, Mohamed Muizzu, is scheduled to embark on a state visit to China from January 8 to 12. This move has garnered attention, signaling potential shifts in the island nation’s international relations, particularly with its significant neighbor, India.
Muizzu’s presidency has witnessed discussions about altering the Maldives’s “India first” policy, causing tensions with India. The Maldives owes China a substantial amount, making up about 20% of its total public debt.
The restoration of government websites is a relief, but the incident raises concerns about the vulnerability of critical digital infrastructure in the modern age.
With inputs from ANI.