The summit, organized by the Ministry of Digital Economy in partnership with UNDP Sri Lanka, ADB, and other stakeholders, focused on leveraging digital public infrastructure to achieve economic growth and digital inclusion. This initiative builds upon Sri Lanka’s recent efforts to modernize its national identity system with support from Indian technology partners.
Deputy Minister of Digital Economy Eranga Weeraratne outlined the country’s target of building a $15 billion digital economy by 2030. “Our ultimate objective is to create a society where all public services are just a click away, readily accessible to every citizen, regardless of their location,” he said.
The support package encompasses technical assistance and knowledge sharing to strengthen digital capabilities, development of a new civil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) system, implementation of digital public services, and support for digital inclusion initiatives targeting marginalized groups.
UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Sri Lanka, Malin Herwig, highlighted DPI’s importance for Sri Lanka’s development, while ADB Country Director Takafumi Kadono confirmed the bank’s support for Sri Lanka’s digital economy goals.
Key initiatives presented at the summit include the ‘Transforming Local Administrative Data Collection Systems for SDG Acceleration in Sri Lanka’ project, a collaboration between the government, UNDP Sri Lanka, WHO, and the UN SDG Fund. The country is also exploring open-source digital identity solutions, drawing inspiration from India’s Aadhaar system.
The initiative aligns with global trends in digital identity adoption, with projections indicating that over 7 billion people worldwide will have digital ID by 2030.
The UNDP and ADB support aims to help Sri Lanka address key challenges in its digital transformation, including ensuring universal access to digital services, maintaining privacy and security standards, and fostering innovation in the digital economy.
Sources: Meatechwatch, Ceylon Today, Lankanewsweb, UNDP
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February 6, 2025 – by Ali Nassar-Smith
