🇱🇰 Digital Economy Progress Review: President Pushes for SLUDI & 500 New Towers 📈

• President Anura Kumara Dissanayake chaired the 2025 progress review for the Ministry of Digital Economy, focusing on projects under TRCSL, DRP, and GovTech. • The President emphasized establishing a solid foundation for government digital investments, a key component of the proposed 2026 Budget, while also addressing policy and administrative delays. • Digital Infrastructure & Investment: Measures were discussed to create a more conducive environment for private sector investors in digital infrastructure, including island-wide telecom tower construction. • Target Acceleration: President instructed expediting the "Communication to the Village" initiative, setting a target of 500 new telecom towers to be installed within three years. • Identity & Governance: Instructions were given to DRP officials to immediately resolve delays in issuing National Identity Cards (NICs). High priority remains on expediting the Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity (SLUDI) project. • Further steps include establishing a new Digital Economy Authority and developing necessary human resources for a robust ICT/BPM enabled digital economy.