Category: Digital Transformation
Client: UNDP in Sri Lanka
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) serves as the foundational framework enabling the seamless delivery of digital services and fostering interactions among governments, businesses, and citizens. It comprises a spectrum of digital tools, platforms, and protocols designed to support the provision of public services, ensure data security, and promote digital inclusion.
One of the most promising ways to dramatically improve a country’s ability to achieve the SDGs and improve the lives of millions is through the implementation of foundational DPI. There is clear evidence that DPI has a transformative effect and countries with strong DPI elements were able to respond quickly and effectively to turbulences, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The Indian experience is one of the best examples in this regard. DPI has also made economical advancements more equitable and have transformed entire economies through the introduction of tools such as digital payment platforms.
Advancing DPI and ensuring its adoption across all sectors in countries is a priority area for UNDP globally as well for UNDP in Sri Lanka. UNDP together with their partners, launched its 50-in-5 campaign in 2023, which is a global campaign for implementing DPI, and building a foundation for achieving the SDGs and an inclusive and dynamic digital economy. The campaign works to advance country-led DPI implementation, foster cooperation among countries with like-minded infrastructure goals, and help provide a framework for countries considering adopting similar digital solutions. Within the five-year period, the campaign aims to have 50 countries implement a digital civil registry, payment systems, or secure data exchange to improve the lives of their residents and meet the SDGs.
In Sri Lanka, the first 50-in-5 project commenced in early 2024, aimed at strengthening the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRSV) system in the country.
Addressing the issue of limited understanding of DPI and its far-reaching benefits for Sri Lanka, Citra initiated a DPI in Action series through which a broad spectrum of public sector officials was brought together to deliberate on the positive impact DPI would have on the daily functioning of the government. As an extension of this conversation, Citra had discussions on the tax landscape of Sri Lanka and how DPI safeguards such as data privacy tools and other security tools could be built into the design of digital systems. These conversations have helped with increasing the understanding of DPI adoption and its benefits in Sri Lanka. Moreover, Citra’s conversations with diverse sectors in the country including transport, civil registration and vital statistics and agriculture, have enabled further insights into the nature of adoption of DPI so far in the public sector and how an interconnected mechanism could be further consolidated.
These dialogues will also work towards cultivating a cohort of individuals and/or organizations equipped with the DPI mindset, capable of spearheading DPI-related digital transformation initiatives within the country. Furthermore, this initiative will also lay a strong foundation for a collective platform through which key partners working in the digital transformation ecosystem can convene to design effective project implementation. This will also include crafting a consolidated action plan to synchronize the efforts and resources of all stakeholders toward a collective goal.
Parallel to the DPI in Action series, Citra is also currently engaged in conversations with development partners and potential donor communities that could collaborate to provide necessary support to implement identified DPI-related projects in the country.
