IPS New Thinkers’ Symposium highlights the role of technology in economic transformation

From left: MAS Holdings Head of FemTech Gayani Abeyasinghe, IPS Research Officer Kithmina Hewage, Telecommunications, Foreign Employment and Sports Minister Harin Fernando, and marine biologist Dr. Asha de Vos

Currently, Sri Lanka is creating a digital roadmap for the country, but the lack of coordination, focus, and support among Ministries and other Government agencies is an issue that needs to be addressed, noted Telecommunications, Foreign Employment and Sports Minister Harin Fernando. 

In this regard, he noted that it was important to give people access to technology and remove the fear associated with technological advancements.  

Minister Fernando made these remarks during a panel discussion at the New Thinkers’ Symposium (NTS), organised by the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS) on 21 March in Colombo. The panel, moderated by IPS Research Officer Kithmina Hewage, comprised of marine biologist Dr. Asha de Vos, and MAS Holdings Head of FemTech Gayani Abeyasinghe. 

Dr. de Vos, speaking on the importance of technology in conservation efforts, noted that it can help access areas that are difficult to reach and opens up new spaces, while bringing down costs of these operations. 

Meanwhile, Abeyasinghe noted that technology can also address issues faced by women, such as menstruation, menopause, pregnancy, and incontinence.

Apart from the panel discussion, the Symposium hosted a research hub, where think-tanks presented findings from their latest studies; an innovations hub, which showcased the latest advancements in digital technology in Sri Lanka; and a policy hub, where representatives from the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Development Strategies and International Trade presented their efforts to develop digital infrastructure and e-governance mechanisms in Sri Lanka. 

At the research hub, IPS Research Assistant Nimesha Dissanayake noted that the agriculture sector in the country stands to gain immensely from mobile technologies – particularly in receiving up-to-date weather and climate information.  

The Symposium, initiated in 2018, provides a platform for public policy practitioners (under 35 years) in the public sector, private sector, academia, and other fields of interest to engage on a common platform to discuss the national economic environment within the context of technology and transformation.