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Digital Technologies and Services in the Republic of Marshall Islands: A Need for Enabling Legal Framework

The Republic of Marshall Islands (RMI) is at a critical juncture in its digital transformation journey. As highlighted in this report, there is an urgent need to establish an enabling legal framework that supports digital services and digital ID systems.

National Strategic Plan (NSP)

The National Strategic Plan emphasizes the importance of achieving modern, efficient, resilient, and affordable ICT infrastructure and services to underpin economic and social development. The key objectives outlined in the policy include:

  • Strengthening the Legal and Regulatory Framework: This involves revising existing telecom laws and regulations to ensure they are adequate for digital services.
  • Providing Resilient Platforms for Efficient and Affordable Connectivity: This includes improving outer island connectivity and ensuring that internet access is reliable and affordable for all citizens.
  • Improving Outer Island Connectivity: This involves investing in infrastructure that connects remote islands to the mainland, enabling better communication and access to digital services.
  • Revising the ICT Policy of 2012: The current policy was drafted before the advent of many modern technologies, so it needs to be updated to reflect the changing digital landscape.

Current Situation

Despite the importance of these objectives, the RMI has yet to make significant progress in implementing several of them. One area that requires attention is updating the ICT policy and strengthening digital services.

Digital ID Systems

A digital ID system uses digital technology throughout the identity lifecycle, including:

  • Data Capture: Collecting personal data from citizens.
  • Validation: Verifying the accuracy of the collected data.
  • Storage: Safely storing the data in a secure database.
  • Transfer: Ensuring that the data can be easily transferred between different systems and agencies.
  • Credential Management: Issuing digital identity credentials to citizens, which can be used for various purposes such as accessing public services or voting.
  • Identity Verification and Authentication: Confirming the identity of individuals through various means such as biometric authentication.

Key Factors for Successful Implementation

For a national digital ID system to be successful, public trust is crucial. This requires an inclusive (non-discriminatory) approach that protects citizens’ privacy and ensures they have control over their personal data.

Conclusion

To achieve the goals outlined in the National Strategic Plan, there is a need for a comprehensive assessment of the current situation, gap analysis, and recommendations to adopt an enabling legal framework that supports digital services and digital ID in the RMI. This will ensure that the country’s digital transformation journey is successful and benefits all citizens.