Maldives awards Sri Lankan firm contract to draft disaster recovery plan

Maldivian government has awarded a contract to a Sri Lankan company to develop a disaster recovery and business continuity plan aimed at strengthening the country’s digital infrastructure.

Ministry of Homeland Security said the contract, worth USD 45,525 (MVR 700,000), was awarded to KBSL Information Technology of Sri Lanka, with the plan to be delivered within four months.

KBSL, established in 1987, has extensive experience in the IT and infrastructure planning sector.

According to the ministry, most government offices rely on digital communication systems maintained by the National Centre for Information Technology (NCIT). However, concerns over potential disruptions have led to the development of a formal contingency plan to ensure the continuity of digital services in the event of an incident.

The project is part of the World Bank-backed Digital Maldives for Adaptation, Decentralization and Diversification (DMED) initiative.

Officials said the plan must comply with international standards and include a full risk assessment of the 22-year-old infrastructure currently in use. The assessment will take into account threats such as natural disasters, cyber-attacks, power failures, and fires.

The ministry added that the plan would also identify the human resource and skills development needed for effective implementation. The final deliverables will include a complete operational manual to guide government agencies during a digital disruption.