One of the most promising ways to dramatically improve a country’s ability to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and improve the lives of millions is through the implementation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), said Director, Digital Public Infrastructure, Gates Foundation, Sanjay Jain.
“Sri Lanka is at a good starting point to strengthen its DPI and must look at building minimal components that can be complemented and used in multiple ways.”
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) is a critical enabler of digital transformation, fostering economic growth, improving service delivery, and enhancing social inclusion. With its commitment to fostering and further strengthening the country’s DPI, the Government through the Ministry of Technology is currently working with multiple stakeholders to advance the digital transformation agenda.
Countries with safe and inclusive DPI can respond swiftly and
effectively to crises. It can enable them to have innovative solutions such as digital payment platforms, which can bring more people into the financial system and transform economies.
With this motivation in mind, the Ministry of Technology, the Presidential Secretariat Support Unit facilitated by the Gates Foundation and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka in partnership with the Prime Minister’s Office Sri Lanka and the World Bank, together with Citra Lab and Connect to Care, convened a DPI donor engagement dialogue.
The forum attracted over 40 key national and international stakeholders from London, Paris, New York, Washington DC, New Delhi, Manila, Estonia, Norway, and Singapore, held in a hybrid format. The event complemented the recently held ‘DPI Donor Forum’ in Paris.
Chief of Staff and National Security Advisor to the President, Sagala Ratnayaka said, “A strong DPI will support the country in building forward, increasing accessibility and efficiency, and we are grateful to all partners that have come together on donor engagement to further this agenda.”
Sri Lanka is one of the first-mover countries in the global ‘50-in-5’ campaign, a country-led initiative that aims to help countries design, launch, and scale components of their DPI for achieving the SDGs.
Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka, Azusa Kubota said, “Recognising Sri Lanka’s commitment to advancing its digital agenda and the significance of DPI in achieving national development objectives, UNDP continues to support the effort through its expertise in leveraging technology for sustainable development.”
Head of Digital Programmes at UNDP’s Chief Digital Office, Keyzom Ngodup Massally said, “Sri Lanka’s commitment to universal DPI safeguards reflects the growing commitment of local digital ecosystems to sustain development for everyone.”
