President Wickremesinghe has met Musk at a World Water Forum High-Level Meeting in Indonesia.

President Wickremesinghe discussed “the implementation of Starlink in Sri Lanka & committed to fast-tracking the application process to connect SL with the global Starlink network,” the statement said.

I met @elonmusk today during my official visit to Indonesia for the 10th World Water Forum. He was there to launch the Starlink satellite internet service, aimed at providing internet connectivity to remote areas in Indonesia. We had a fruitful discussion on a variety of… pic.twitter.com/d1NbYMUdOC

— Ranil Wickremesinghe (@RW_UNP) May 19, 2024

Starlink is a low earth orbit satellite network, connected to Musk’s SpaceX group. (Colombo/Jun19/2024)

The app called JumJum (Let’s Go) will initially launch in Kathmandu, where 40 percent of the 2.5 million motorcycles are said to be used.

“This strategic partnership is the culmination of a long search in South Asia to take our services to another country in the region,” PickMe’s Chief Executive Zulfer Jiffry said in a statement.

“We have done it in a manner that adds value to the Nepali economy, by engaging with an acclaimed Nepalese tech company.”

Motorcycles are in wide use in Nepal accounting for 78 percent of 3.22 million vehicles registered in the country.

“In heralding the arrival of JumJum in Nepal, we witness the  convergence of two technological powerhouses: PickMe from Sri Lanka and F1Soft from Nepal,” Biswas Dhakal, President and Chairperson of F1Soft Group said.

PickMe is a company in which Washington-based International Finance Corporation invested 2.5 million dollars in 2018.

“Over the years, PickMe excelled in diversifying their products and services by expanding beyond ride-hailing to being a logistics company and also a pioneer in delivering necessities, especially during crises,” Alejandro Alvarez de la Campa, Country Manager for IFC in Sri Lanka and Maldives said.

“It also became a platform which helped create jobs and new economic opportunities for many, including for women.”

Chairman of PickMe, Ajit Gunewardene said the firm was started 10 year ago, its capacity to go across borders was expected.

“The vision was to provide a service that would be of international standards,” Gunawardana said.

“Over the years, PickMe has diligently forged partnerships across the region, and as we venture into the Kathmandu valley, our aspirations have been realised.

“While there will undoubtedly be a learning curve, it serves as a vital stepping stone towards propelling PickMe to greater heights with expansion into new markets.”

Jiffry says the move to Nepal Sri Lanka shows the potential to expand digital businesses in the region, and earn foreign exchange.

PickMe hoeps disrupt the Nepalese digital transportation and also plans to use Generative AI to fine tune service to local habits and consumer patterns, he said. (Colombo/May14/2024)

“Signed an agreement with Board of Investment of Sri Lanka for U$ 1.78 Mn expanding Orion Colombo, and Orion Nest to the next level,” the BoI said on X (twitter).

Orion Development built Sri Lanka’s first IT Park in 2009 aiming to offer built-to-specification commercial and office infrastructure.

Orion City has said it plans to further strengthen its sustainable infrastructure by transitioning to renewable energy, particularly solar power, by installing solar panels to reduce reliance on traditional energy sources.

“Our goal for Phase II of Orion Tower is to achieve LEED Platinum certification setting a high standard in sustainable building practices,” Orion officials have said. (Colombo/May13/2024)

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“The user base across all social networks has surged from 60 million to 74 million. There is an imperative for a National Cyber Security Act. Plans are underway to draft pertinent legislation by May 2024,” Herath told reporters at the Presidential Media Centre.

“Collaborative efforts involving 29 government agencies, alongside Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SL CERT), have been undertaken to strengthen cyber security.”

The minister said that the cabinet has endorsed the National Digital Strategy 2030, which focused on infrastructure, connectivity, access, skills, literacy, industries, jobs, and establishing a connected digital government.

“Emphasis is placed on cyber security, data security, privacy, digital financial services, and the digitization of small and medium-sized businesses.”

On Friday a bill to amend the Telecommunications Regulatory Act will be submitted to parliament, Herath said.

“Previously, regulations concerning undersea cables were non-existent. Now, legislation addressing this matter has become feasible.”

Sri Lanka also passed the Online Safety Act No. 9 of 2024 which seeks to regulate online discourse. The controversial bill on which many provisions were struck down by the Supreme Court as violating the constitution was passed in February with amendments. (Colombo/May9/2024)

“The IWF reporting portal will play a crucial role in reporting and taking down online child sexual abuse imagery for countries that do not currently have this facility,” Save the Children said in a statement.

Each report processed by the reporting portal will be manually assessed by IWF highly trained analysts using technical internet tracing techniques to locate criminal content, to trace and determine the geographical location of the server on which the content is hosted at the time of assessment.

They report it the UK National Crime Agency (NCA) who then forward it to INTERPOL, so they can pass it on to the hosting country’s police. They continue to monitor the status of these images and, if required, they will contact the overseas host directly to remove the online images.

The reporting portal is available in Sinhala, Tamil, and English, and is hosted by the NCPA through their homepage.

Online violence against children has risen over the past decade in the country. Research by Save the Children indicates that 3 out of 10 children who are internet users in urban and semi urban areas in Sri Lanka are being victimized by online perpetrators.

The NCPA noted growing trends of illegal activities against children online such as luring children for sexual abuse, sexual harassment, sexual exploitation, sextortion, and threats leading to blackmail.

However, due to a lack of technological infrastructure and technical expertise to support, Sri Lanka has faced challenges in removing CSAM from the internet. This calls for international collaboration to effectively address these crimes.

“Together with the Government, private sector, and through international collaboration, we are committed to making Sri Lanka a safer place for children,” Save the Children’s Senior Technical Advisor, Child Protection and Child Rights, Buddhini Withana said.

“For several decades, this sector has been neglected. The government has indeed neglected it, and the attention it warranted has not been provided,” President Ranil Wickremasinghe said at the launch at the Presidential Secretariat.

“The magnitude of the problem now is such that resolving it within a year seems implausible. We lack the capacity to address the issue comprehensively.”

Wickremasinghe said strengthening police numbers, particularly in women and children’s desks at every police station, was necessary.

“The management of probation and child care services should be devolved to the nine provinces, as I believe this responsibility does not necessarily belong to the central government.” (Colombo/Mar29/2024)

Lanka Pay Chief Executive Channa de Silva said awards will prioritize customer convenience.

Lanka Pay’s Technovation awards will recognize banking and non-banking firms that had come up with innovative solutions.

There will be awards will include ones for the most innovative bank, best bank for retail payments and best mobile application for retail payments.

Central Banks Governing Board Member Manil Jayasinghe and Founder of Kapruka, Dulith Herath are among the judges. (Colombo/Mar14/2024)

The awards are open to companies specialising in AI, Connected and Automated Mobility (CAM) Technology, Cyber Security and Digital Trade Solutions.

The awards are an opportunity for tech scale-up companies “to join the UK’s thriving $1 trillion tech sector,” UK Investment Minister, Dominic Johnson said in a statement. “The awards are part of our commitment across government to help more businesses scale up, and benefit from our highly skilled workforce and supportive regulatory system.

“I encourage tech scaleups in the young and vibrant South Asian countries to take full advantage of this opportunity by applying for the Awards,” Harjinder Kang, Trade Commissioner for South Asia said.

Applications close on April 30, at 23:59 GMT. Companies can only apply for one category, with one regional winner per category and one overarching category winner. Find out more at great.gov.uk/ukpa or contact the team at ukpa@businessandtrade.gov.uk (Colombo/Mar4/2024)

“The Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Readiness Team (SLCERT) is anticipated to introduce the National Cyber Security Act within the year, followed swiftly by the establishment of the Cyber Security Authority,” Herath said at a press briefing held at the President’s Media Centre (PMC) on Thursday.

Herath said the digital economy which previously stood at 4.73 percent had grown past the 5 percent mark.

“This expansion has notably bolstered the country’s overall economic resilience. To further enhance this momentum, preparations are underway for the Digital Economy Summit scheduled to take place in Sri Lanka at the end of July.”

The summit aims to attract both local and foreign investors, with collaborative efforts from foreign embassies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Investment Promotion facilitating this initiative. (Colombo/Feb29/2024)

A statement from the Government Information Department said on Tuesday February 13 that President Ranil Wickremesinghe in his capacity of Minister of Technology and Minister of Education Susil Premajayantha have proposed that the project is carried out in schools where “the necessary basic human resources are available”.

Among the proposals is to revise the international syllabus currently implemented by Microsoft based on the recommendations of the National Institute of Educational and commence the proposed pilot projects from grade 8 in schools where the necessary basic human resources are available.

Digitisation of schools selected for the pilot project under the facilities provided by Microsoft and providing training to 100 Information and Communication Technology (ICT)  teachers as trainers by Microsoft are also proposed.

According to the statement, the project had originally proposed last year based on  recommendations made by a task force appointed for the formation of a national strategy on AI.

The plan was originally announced in May 2023.

National Institute of Education Director General Sunil Jayantha Nawarathna told EconomyNext at the time that such subjects should be taught to students from grades 6 to 13 “depending on their level”. Plans were also underway in May 2023 to encourage students to large language model (LLM) tools such as ChatGPT and Google Bard to enhance their knowledge with respect to other subjects by 2024.

Other ambitions plans included using AI to teach subjects like Science and Information Technology (IT).

Minister Premajayantha said in November that digitisation of Sri Lanka’s education system will be completed in 2024.

“All schools will be digitized from Grade 1 onwards starting from the reopening of schools in March or April.”
For this, both teachers and principals will have to be trained starting now, Premajayantha said at the time. (Colombo/Feb13/2024)

“Our Intellectual Property Act established in 2003 recognizes only a human as an author,” lawyer and academic in intellectual property, Sidath Gajanayaka said at a panel discussion on ‘Integrating AI into Human Lives: Legal Challenges in the Age of AI’ on Thursday (8).

Section 5 of the Intellectual Property Act describes an author as ‘the physical person who has created the work’ paving the way for questions regarding the use of artificial intelligence in creative works.

Artificial intelligence programs, such as ChatGPT, have been able to write articles and research pieces independently.

“We must look at how much of a human intervention is there to write an article,” Gajanayaka said. “Who is recognized as the author is a dilemma. Ideally, it is a person who gave the prompt.”

Gajanayaka thinks that giving joint authorship to the person issuing the prompt and the machine may be a possibility.(Colombo/Feb9/20024)

“Ask QX boasts unparalleled language proficiency and accuracy across multiple languages. Our vision for Ask QX is to bridge the existing gap, ensuring that the transformative potential of AI is accessible to all, not limited to a privileged few,” Tilakraj Parmar, Co-Founder and CEO, QX Lab AI said at a lauch event in Dubai Friday (2).

The Indian-origin developers said they wanted to focus on the rich linguistic tapestry in India and neighboring markets like the Middle East and Sri Lanka.

Apart from English, Ask QX is available in Arabic (and recognizes regional dialects), French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Sinhala, Tamil and 11 other Indian languages, as well as other global languages.

“We wanted to develop a product that would cater to users in every corner of the world, in a language of their choice,” Arjun Prasad, Co- Founder and Chief Strategy Officer, QX Lab AI said.

Ask QX has already amassed a user base of more than 8 million users in the free beta phase, at the time of the launch.

The beta version is being developed further in a range of subscription models tailored to different user segments. The Business to Consumer (B2C) paid version, features a neural network based version, and will be competitively priced, while the free version will provide access to the Ask QX gen AI neural engine.

Developers said it is built on a hybrid model ie; 30 percent large language model (LLM) and 70 percent neural network architecture, enabling better language comprehension and user interaction. “The capabilities of the platform cater to diverse user needs including neural-based services and will gradually include all features like Text to Image, Text to Code, Text to Video, for, Business to Business (B2B), and Business to Institution (B2I) cohorts.”

The company was set up in 2018 and moved to Dubai in 2020; and was founded by Tilakraj Parmar, Tathagat Prakash and Arjun Prasad. (Dubai/Feb3/2024)

“The Asia Internet Coalition would like to address and refute certain assertions made in the statement read by the Minister of Public Security in Parliament concerning the Online Safety Bill,” the statement that was co-signed by Google, Meta, X, LinkedIn and Bookings.com said.

“The Minister’s statement does not accurately reflect the substantial contributions that the AIC has made throughout the legislative process, which include comprehensive submissions as well as engagements such as hosting representatives from the Ministry of Public Security at the annual Online Safety Forum organised by the AIC in Singapore.”

AIC statement

The Coalition said that the engagements and representations eventually culminated with its last submission to the Ministry on 8 January 2024, an open letter addressed to the Public Security Minister, warning him of the potential for the piece of legislation to undermine Sri Lanka’s digital economy.

“Despite our commitment to constructive collaboration, the AIC has not been privy to proposed amendments to the bill. We unequivocally stand by our position that the Online Safety Bill, in its current form, is unworkable and would undermine potential growth and foreign direct investment into Sri Lanka’s digital economy.”

“We firmly believe that for the Bill to align with global best practices, extensive revisions are imperative.”

Yesterday (23), Alles said that intermediaries of the platforms within the Coalition had expressed agreement with the piece of legislation.

“Various international organisations engaged in discussions with us. We were engaged in discussions for 3 months and came to an agreement. We took those amendments and agreed to take more amendment suggestions by the Asian Internet Coalition,” Alles said.

“I told the Asian Coalition to send their suggestions, so that we could include them in the bill. When these were brought before the Judge, there were suggestions that were incompatible with the Sri Lankan constitution, and then decided that the suggestions we agreed on should be brought in at later stages. But we were able to bring in some suggestions we had agreed on.

“I have been talking with them for the last few days, and I promised them to include their suggestions, the ones that are acceptable, along with those of the Supreme Court into the Bill, after tomorrow’s vote, and that I would present the suggestions to the Cabinet of Ministers and then gazette them. So all parties who were consulted have agreed to see this to be implemented as amendments to the Act.” (Colombo/Jan24/2024)

“Once this law is introduced, they will review the offences they would be accused of and most likely close up its access to users in Sri Lanka. Further, if the Sri Lankan government requests for certain information from Google, they will most likely not comply anymore as it may be self incriminating,” Wickremeratne said on Tuesday (23) when the bill was being debated.

He was responding to the opening statement to the bill presented by Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles.

“The minister spoke about intermediaries, and that they were in agreement [with the bill]. But, it should be said that they are not in favour of the bill, of which they will express their displeasure through their own social media platforms,” the minister said, referring to representatives of information technology platforms.

In September 2023 the Asia Internet Coalition released a statement saying that it had concerns over the government’s push for the Online Safety Bill “without undertaking any stakeholder consultation”.

Notable members co-signing the statement were Google, Meta, X, LinkedIn, Apple, Spotify and Bookings.com.

“While our member companies take seriously the online safety of those who use their services, legislation should not dampen innovation by restricting public debate and the exchange of ideas that can consequently impact the digital economy.”

“We strongly urge the Government to work closely with industry stakeholders to develop regulations that are proportionate, reasonable, consistent with international best practices, and most importantly, support the growth of Sri Lanka’s nascent digital economy.”

Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court said in November that the controversial bill was eligible to be passed in parliament, once subject to amendments to 31 of its provisions.

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Among the offences listed in the draft bill were the communication of false statements on incidents within Sri Lanka, false statements causing defamation, disturbing religious assembly through false statements, communication of false statements with the sole intention of hurting religious emotions, communication of false statements with the sole intention for the abomination of religious emotions.

In addition to the online truths, the bullet points also included criminal activities such as fraud, cheating and child abuse, as part of ‘Online Safety’.

The MP said that he had received the bill in its full form from the legal draftsman’s office only yesterday.

“Yesterday we went to the Sectoral Oversight Comittee, that was the first time we received the legal draftsman’s department’s copy. Other parliamentary ministers are likely to have never seen this.”

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The MP said that the bill, which is meant to stringently regulate online platform use, will create a great risk for locals and foreigners.

“We shouldn’t just dwell on whether this is constitutional or not. We have to go beyond that… We as participants in a global digital economy, abide by international conventions such as the ICCPR.”

The minister said that creating avenues for dollar revenues through the technological and internet based sector is key. “That is why we should introduce laws that do not hinder the economy.” (Colombo/Jan23/2024)

The project “aims to assist approximately 30 SME ICT/BPM companies and tech startups in two cohorts over a two-year period starting in 2024 by providing market intelligence, business coaching and matchmaking support,” EDB said on its website.

JICA agreed to extend “Japanese technical assistance for Sri Lankan tech companies by introducing Sri Lankan ICT/BPM companies to the Japanese market.”

Yoichi Kogure, Senior Consultant at Japan Development Service Co Ltd and Malith Gunasekara, Technology Advisor specializing in FinTech will provide technical consultancy for the project, the EDB said.

“The consultancy team will identify the potential areas of synergy and establish connections between two tech ecosystems.”

The collaboration is expected to facilitate the exchange of technological know-how, innovation, and best practices, benefiting both nations’ tech industries. (Colombo/Jan22/2024)

Jio Platforms Ltd and a unit of Reliance industries of India and Gortune International Investment Holding Ltd have expressed interest in Sri Lanka Telecom.

Gortune International is an entity made up of private Chinese investors, market sources said.

India’s Airtel already has a mobile unit in Sri Lanka’s telecom sector.

India’s Adani group is building a container terminal in Colombo Port, where China already has terminal.

China also operates and part owns Hambantota Port.

India’s Adani group is building some renewable plant in the island. Concerns have been raised that some of the renewable plants under negotiations are not coming from competitive tenders.

Sri Lanka blocked a Chinese power sector investments in the North which came fro competitive tendering, reportedly under Indian pressure.

Lycamobile was the third bidder. (Colombo/Jan15/2023)

EcoSort, from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, won the competition with their ‘smart dustbin’ for waste segregation.

MiswaLanka from the Wayamba University of Sri Lanka won 1st Runner up for their biodegradable natural toothbrush.

And CollectorLK from the University of Peradeniya won 2nd Runner up for their waste management mobile application.

Other notable entries included a Styrofoam alternative for product packaging (by team CompoCell), eco-friendly floor mats made from discarded shoes (by team SoloCycle), and sustainable clothes hangers made from cashew shells (by team Eco Harvest).

Selected participants received mentoring, and gained technical expertise and soft skills to transform their innovations from concepts or basic prototypes into marketable products and services.

The competition brought together undergraduate students from institutions across Sri Lanka, and was organized by the European Union, Dilmah Tea and the Dilmah Genesis Centre.

Dr Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation at the EU Delegation to Sri Lanka and the Maldives commended the participants for taking action against environmental problems.

“The ‘Sustain-able’ Challenge emphasized the obligation to harness young talent for positive change,” Dilhan C Fernando, Chairman of Dilmah Tea said.

The competition was part of the European Union’s “Let’s Go Green” campaign which aimed to raise awareness and advocate for responsible green behavior, focusing on plastic usage, waste reduction, and energy conservation among Sri Lanka’s youth, consumers, and businesses. (Colombo/Jan4/2024)

This allows the use of electronic documents and reports when obtaining services from District Secretariats, Divisional Secretaries and Grama Niladhari Officers.

The electronic transaction orders (e-Grama Niladhari Information System) No. 1 of 2022 prepared by the Minister of Technology under the provisions of the Electronic Transactions Act No. 19 of 2006 was published in the extraordinary gazette notification No. 2311/40 of 22.12.2022.

Sri Lanka is on a drive to adopt digital technologies and is amending regulations to facilitate electronic transactions, enhance cybersecurity, and promote the use of digital platforms for various services.

Global institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have recommended the Sri Lankan government to digitalise its transactions, including tax claims, to reduce human intervention and corruption.

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Since the Covid-19 pandemic, an increasing number of Sri Lankans have switched to digital transactions. (Colombo/Jan2/2024)

The sypware, which was developed by Israeli firm NSO Group, has escalated concerns amid a crackdown on civil liberties in India, adversely impacting journalists, activists, and civil society organizations.

Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, Head of Amnesty International’s Security Lab, expressed grave concern over the unlawful surveillance faced by journalists in India.

Apple sent out a fresh batch of security alerts to iPhone owners worldwide in October 2023, suggesting that they might have been the target of “state-sponsored attackers.” It was alleged that over 20 Indian journalists and opposition leaders had got the alerts.

Consequently, the Security Lab at Amnesty International conducted a forensic examination of the phones of people who received these notifications from all around the world, including Anand Mangnale and Siddharth Varadarajan.

The Security Lab’s analysis unearthed traces of Pegasus activity on devices owned by Varadarajan and Mangnale. Mangnale’s device showed evidence of a zero-click exploit through iMessage in August 2023, aiming to install the Pegasus spyware covertly. Although Mangnale’s device was vulnerable to the exploit, it remains uncertain if the attempt led to a successful compromise.

Malicious software that permits spyware to be placed on a device without the target having to take any action—such as clicking on a link—is known as a zero-click exploit.

The NSO Group responded to these findings by highlighting that their technologies are licensed solely to law enforcement and intelligence agencies to combat terrorism and major crime.  However, concerns persist regarding the company’s visibility into targets and the lack of clarity from Indian authorities regarding the procurement or usage of Pegasus spyware.

The implications of such invasive surveillance practices are pertinent to Sri Lanka, where the government is in the process of implementing the SL-UID program, backed by India.

Reports have previously highlighted incidents in India where Aadhar cards, a similar biometric identification system, were misused as tools for surveillance. Usha Ramanathan, South Asia Editor of Law, Environment and Development Journal has called the ID system a mechanism for discrimination, used primarily for furthering state surveillance by “uniquely identifying” individuals. 

Public pushback from human rights advocates has since intensified following the National Register of Citizens (NRC) controversy, wherein 1.9 million minority Muslims in the state of Assam were declared illegal, with the biometric details of around 4 million individuals registered in the Aadhaar system, within the state. It was found that a majority of the 4 million found their biometric data locked, a year later, barring them from enrolling in the system or receiving welfare.

The press release by Amnesty International calls for the prohibition of highly invasive spyware, emphasizing the need for independent audits and restrictions on such technologies.

It said that these revelations serve as a cautionary tale for nations implementing large-scale biometric identification systems, urging stringent measures to prevent misuse and protect citizens’ privacy and rights.

The SL-UID program promises to enhance governance, streamline services, and bolster national security through advanced identity management systems.

But concerns loom over the potential vulnerabilities and risks in such large-scale identity programs, without adequate safeguards in place. (Colombo/Dec29/2023)

This system will fortify the existing mechanism, ensuring the safety and well-being of Sri Lankan citizens amidst various disasters, including those caused by weather and climate changes, statement by the President’s Media Division said.

“Focusing on tsunami disasters, the system targets 60,000 mobile and landline numbers in 14 districts identified as high-risk areas. It is designed to issue an early warning in the form of a distinctive Ring Tone notification accompanied by a siren sound,” the PMD statement said.

This is a collaborative effort involving the Disaster Management Centre, Sri Lanka Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and major telephone service providers including SLT Mobitel, Hutch, Dialog and Airtel.

Scheduled for a public rollout on ‘National Security Day’ on December 26, the system’s scope is anticipated to expand in the future, evolving into a comprehensive multi-disaster early warning mechanism to include landslides and floods. (Colombo/Dec20/2023)

“We are now in the digital age, where the library system has a major role to play. We selected 25 libraries from the 25 districts and digitalised them,” Dharmaratna said at a press briefing on Wednesday (22).

The project was funded by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka and facilitated by the Information and Communication Technology Agency (ICTA) of Sri Lanka.

“This must not be limited among only part of our society, so the UNDP is giving an additional 39 million rupees to develop libraries in the north and east.

“We need to move to artificial intelligence, but before that we need to be digitalised.”

“Once we are fully digitalised, it doesn’t matter where you are, a person from Jaffna, or the UK can access information in our libraries and archives.”

“If I want to, I will be able to login from our library and access the library of the Cambridge University in England.”

Dharmaratna said they were working with international agencies to facilitate this.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s government has started the National Digital Economy Acceleration Initiative to fast track the digitalisation of the economy.

After Sri Lanka’s economic crisis, many global institutions, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), have strongly recommended the Sri Lankan government to fully digitalise its transactions including tax claims to reduce human interventions and eventually corruption.

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Sri Lanka has started a pilot project on digitizing government services to the public in nine state institutions as part of an IMF condition in return to a $3 billion loan. (Colombo/Nov23/2023)