President Ranil Wickremesinghe has pointed out that the industrial education and training opportunities in Sri Lanka should be improved by introducing modern technology required to surpass the new industrial technology and digital economy of the fourth and fifth industrial revolutions.

The President made this observation on January 25, during a preliminary discussion on the “International Conference and Exhibition on the New Digital Economy” scheduled to be held in Sri Lanka in the last quarter of this year. The discussion was held under the patronage of the President at the Presidential Secretariat.

This international exhibition aims to utilize technology to improve productivity and efficiency to overcome the current crisis. It is to be done by recognizing means to accelerate various industries in this country from the current technological level to the technologies in the digital economy at times of new industrial revolutions.

It is also expected to make Sri Lanka an export hub infused with modern technology, able to support the government by promoting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in service and export sectors, bring the best international practices to local industries and network with industry leaders.

This exhibition will also introduce modern technology tools to the industrial sector of Sri Lanka to achieve this new digital economy by focusing on technical methodologies such as Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), Internet of Things (IoT), Internet Services (IoS), Robotics, Big Data, Cloud Computing and Manufacturing and Advanced Augmented Reality Artificial Intelligence.

During this discussion, attention was drawn to passing the dividends of the digital economy which would be developed in various fields, among the people of different social strata across the island.

The exhibition is to be organized by a steering committee consisting of representatives of 13 line ministries including Finance, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Education, Transport, Trade, and Agriculture under the leadership of State Minister of Technology Hon. Kanaka Herath.

State Minister of Technology Hon. Kanaka Herath, secretaries of line ministries, representatives from the Export Development Board (EDB), Sri Lanka Board of Investment (BOI), Chamber of Commerce and Sri Lanka Information and Communication Technology Agency, and private sector representatives attended the discussion.

-PMD