By Sanath Nanayakkara
As Sri Lanka advances its Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) strategy, data privacy has become a significant concern. Dr Hans Wijayasuriya, Chief Adviser to the President on Digital Economy, addressed this issue during his keynote at the BIMSTEC Digital Conclave 2025, held at the Taj Samudra in Colombo recently. He emphasised the necessity of robust data protection frameworks to maintain public trust in digital initiatives.
Dr Wijayasuriya advocated for a balanced approach that combines innovation with stringent privacy safeguards. He highlighted the importance of ‘risk-proportional safeguards’ and federated digital platforms that focus on privacy and data control, avoiding the centralisation of user information on a single platform. He also noted that Sri Lanka has a Data Protection Act and a Data Protection Authority in place, providing a strong legal and institutional framework for data protection.
The BIMSTEC Digital Conclave 2025, themed “Building Digital Public Infrastructure for Shared Prosperity,” was organised by The Asia Group in partnership with the BIMSTEC Secretariat and supported by the Government of Sri Lanka. The event brought together leaders and experts to discuss advancing digital public infrastructure in the region.
In a related event, the Sri Lanka Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) Summit 2025, held in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), underscored the critical role of DPI in building the country’s digital economy. The summit emphasised the importance of public-private partnerships and cross-sector collaboration in designing and implementing DPI at a population scale, with necessary safeguards to anticipate and mitigate risks.
Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eranga Weeraratne, stated that the Government envisions Sri Lanka’s digital economy reaching $15 billion by 2030. He emphasised that digital transformation represents a fundamental shift that could propel the economy to new heights, with DPI serving as the backbone for these efforts.
Dr Wijayasuriya added that the establishment and accelerated adoption of DPIs are foundational pillars of the government’s strategy to build a robust digital economy that benefits all citizens. He expressed confidence that the DPI Summit would bring together the effort and commitment of like-minded stakeholders to support Sri Lanka’s digital economy ambitions.
The UNDP and ADB have pledged support for Sri Lanka’s digital transformation, recognising DPI as an essential enabler of digital transformation. They look forward to supporting Sri Lanka’s ambitions to become a digital economy powerhouse.
These developments highlight Sri Lanka’s commitment to leveraging DPI for improved service delivery, economic efficiency, and citizen empowerment, while ensuring that data privacy remains a cornerstone of sustainable digital transformation.
