Maldives National Archives Partners to Establish Digital Preservation System

The National Archives of Maldives (NAM) has partnered with OAIS Cloud and Dr. David Giaretta of Giaretta Associates to launch a digital preservation project designed to secure and maintain vital national documents.

The unveiling of the prototype for the digital preservation system took place on Monday during a ceremony attended by Minister of Youth Empowerment, Information, and Art, Ibrahim Waheed, along with NAM’s Director-General, Mohamed Amir Ahmed. This initiative holds particular importance for NAM, which currently lacks the necessary digital preservation infrastructure and technical capacity. Over the past three years, the institution has actively pursued enhancements to its digital preservation capabilities.

The first phase of the project, which involved a survey of relevant government and national bodies, was completed in June of last year. This initial phase revealed a significant need for funding and resources to establish an effective digital archive.

The second phase, launched on Monday, focuses on testing the newly developed prototype. NAM faced delays in advancing this phase, primarily due to budget constraints and limited resources. However, the institution has now secured a one-year agreement for digital preservation services from OAIS Cloud at no cost.

This agreement will provide NAM with essential software infrastructure, technical support, and training, enabling the commencement of its digital preservation efforts and ensuring the long-term preservation and accessibility of its digital records.