Sri Lanka Plans Big Digital Economy Boost in Next 5 Years

Colombo, Sri Lanka – Sri Lanka has shared a big plan to improve its digital economy over the next five years. This plan aims to make the digital part of the economy much bigger. Dr. Hans Wijayasuriya, the President’s main adviser on digital economy, said the goal is to grow the digital economy from 3-4% of the country’s total economy to over 15%.

The plan also aims to greatly increase digital exports. It wants to make digital exports three times bigger than they are now. Also, the plan wants to double the number of people working in digital jobs. This means 200,000 more people will work in the digital field. This new plan is a big change from past efforts. It wants to make Sri Lanka a strong player in the global digital world.

This new plan fixes old problems. These problems included weak rules, poor teamwork across different areas, and separate digital systems. Dr. Wijayasuriya said the government will create a basic digital system that is open to all. This will help different parts of the economy work together better. This big change is expected to help the digital economy grow a lot.

A key part of the plan is to make sure everyone has internet access. This means fast internet for all, cheaper internet costs, and more digital skills training across the country. This helps people in villages and poorer areas. It gives them the same chances as others. The government wants digital tools to be for everyone.

To support this plan, new laws will be made. These include a new Digital Economy Act and updates to laws about online safety. The government also wants to fully use the Personal Data Protection Act. This shows the government wants a safe and trusted online world. The success of Sri Lanka’s digital plan now depends on quick and joint action from all parts of the country.