Substantial boost of USD 15 bn to Sri Lanka’s GDP projected through digital economy by 2030
September 20, 2023 10:10 pm
The Chairman of the Federation of Information Technology Sri Lanka (FITIS), Mr. Indika De Soysa, has projected a substantial boost of USD 15 billion to Sri Lanka’s gross domestic product (GDP) through the expansion of the digital economy, by the year 2030.
The digital economy currently contributes USD 3.7 billion dollars to the GDP.
Speaking during a press conference held at the Presidential Media Centre (PMC) today (20 Sep.), Mr. De Soysa discussed the “DIGIECON Sri Lanka 2030” program, aligning with President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s vision.
The upcoming 41st National Information Technology Conference, themed ‘Towards a Sustainable Digital Society,’ is scheduled to take place from October 11 to 13 at the Shangri La Hotel in Colombo. Organized by the Sri Lanka Computer Association, this event aims to leverage technology for accelerating Sri Lanka’s economic growth through the DIGIECON 2030 program, aligning with the government’s vision of “Towards a Sustainable Digital Society” under the guidance of State Minister of Technology, Mr. Kanaka Herath.
Mr. Indika De Soysa emphasized the global trend of developed countries contributing approximately 40% of their GDP from the digital economy, while Sri Lanka currently stands at 5%. The goal is to elevate this contribution to 20% and increase the current 3.7 billion US dollars in GDP to 15 billion US dollars by 2030.
Additionally, a comprehensive set of guidelines for the next seven years is being developed in collaboration with the DIGIECON 2030 government program to enhance technological knowledge among Sri Lankans.
Furthermore, the conference will introduce a digital economy master plan and regulatory policy framework by 2030, aiming to accelerate the country’s digital economy. The event will feature over thirty expert speakers, both local and international, addressing key areas such as financial technology, education technology, tourism technology, information security, agricultural technology and electronic health services.
Notably, the conference will include a digital investment component, seeking to attract potential investors for established IT companies in Sri Lanka and achieve a target of 3 billion US dollars in IT exports. The support extended by the Sri Lanka Information and Communication Technology Agency for this endeavour is acknowledged.
The conference enjoys the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe and is supported by the State Minister of Technology, Mr. Kanaka Herath, the Ministry of Technology and the Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka.
Key figures in attendance included Sri Lanka Computer Association President Dr. Ajantha Athukorala, National Information Technology Conference Co-Chairman Dr. Nirosha Vedasinghe, Sri Lanka Computer Association Secretary Heshan Karunaratne, DIGIECON 2023-2030 Project Director Prasad Samarawickrama and Sri Lanka Computer Association Member Dr. Amal Ilesingha, among others.
