ICTA inks MoU with UNDP to design and implement National Digital Strategy

From left: Citra Lab Gender and Experimentation Lead Deshani Senanayake, UNDP Sri Lanka Resident Representative Robert Juhkam, ICTA Chairman Jayantha De Silva and Citra Lab Policy Specialist and Team Leader, Policy and Engagement and Lab Lead Fadhil Bakeer-Marker

• Specific focus on digital transformation of public sector
• Collaboration will also implement initiatives to bridge ‘digital divide’
• To conduct a digital readiness assessment for public sector to identify gaps

The Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka signed a four-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) yesterday to support Sri Lanka’s aspirations for digital transformation. 

The ICTA and UNDP will collaborate towards the design and implementation of a comprehensive National Digital Strategy under the ‘Vistas of Prosperity’ national policy framework, with a specific focus on the digital transformation of the public sector, including the re-engineering processes, to ensure an effective uptake of digital mechanisms. 

The collaboration will also implement initiatives to bridge the ‘digital divide’, ensuring an inclusive digital transformation that leaves no one behind. 

In line with the national emphasis on recovery, the transformational agenda will also develop and implement a national strategy on digital economy to revitalise the economy in a post-COVID-19 context. 

The partnership will leverage the capacity of Citra Lab, GoSL and UNDP joint initiatives and build on the existing public sector excellence initiatives such as the NextGenGov Fellowship Programme, to provide capacity building support and support the ICTA’s institutional strengthening and realignment to lead an effective digital transformation agenda in Sri Lanka. 

The transformational agenda will utilise design thinking approaches such as human-centred design in the development and implementation of these initiatives to ensure the people of Sri Lanka are the central focus of the transformation.

Human-centred design is an approach that develops solutions to problems by involving the human or user’s perspective in every step of the problem-solving process. Citra Lab will lend its expertise on such approaches to the digital transformation agenda, to ensure a citizen-centric digital transformation. 

Speaking on the vital need for transformation, ICTA Chairman Jayantha De Silva said, “The ICTA is the apex ICT institution of the government mandated to take all necessary measures to implement the government’s policies in relation to ICT, including the implementation of a comprehensive digitalisation policy for the country.” 

“The global COVID-19 pandemic further highlighted the urgent need for a digital transformation of our public sector in order to effectively respond to evolving challenges. We are confident that this partnership will enable us to build on this momentum for change and realise our overarching goal of an inclusive, digital Sri Lanka,” he added.

Commenting on the partnership, UNDP Sri Lanka Resident Representative Robert Juhkam stated, “Digital transformation is a hallmark of our time and the UNDP is committed to supporting national digital transformation agendas for social and economic good, including Sri Lanka. Digital investments can help both to recover from COVID-19 and enable achievement of the SDGs. This partnership will create a platform for engagement to leverage the UNDP and UN sister agency expertise for efficient, citizen-centric and resilient public service delivery, innovation and economic growth.”

As an immediate next step to the signing, the ICTA and UNDP will work together to conduct a digital readiness assessment for the public sector to identify the gaps within the system and design interventions that can be rolled out to strengthen the digital framework.