Page 77 - SAMENA Trends - January-February 2025

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Sri Lanka Advances with Digital ID Project

The Sri Lankan government has procured is expected to contribute an additional who will be issued their first ID cards. After
350 units of biometric hardware, which SLRS 4.5 billion to the project. Concerns six months, the project will extend to the
include high-resolution cameras and regarding Indian access to Sri Lankan older national identity cardholders, offering
fingerprint scanners, for the country’s personal data led to further discussions them the option to transition to electronic
ambitious Sri Lanka Unique Digital Identity by the National Peoples Power (NPP) national identity cards (e-NICs). Banks and
(SL-UDI) project. This project aims to government. To address these concerns, other institutions will integrate fingerprint
convert the nation’s standard identification the NPP amended the agreement with scanning to confirm account holders’
card (ID) into a digital format. In a statement India to ensure local control of the project, identities. As the project progresses, the Sri
on Sunday in Colombo, Deputy Minister working with the non-profit Indian platform Lankan government also plans to integrate
of Digital Economy, Eranga Weeraratne, provider, MOSIP (Modular Open-Source various government services, including
confirmed that a tender for an additional Identification Platform), which has been payments for municipal councils, university
400 units of similar biometric hardware engaged with the Sri Lankan government fees, and other official functions, through its
has been awarded. The Department of since 2020. Weeraratne assured that the GovPay project. Weeraratne stated that 16
Registrar of Persons (DRP), responsible system would be entirely managed and government institutions have already been
for issuing national identity cards, has controlled by Sri Lankan professionals, integrated, with 30 institutions expected to
already invested 5.5 billion Sri Lankan emphasizing that the government would be included by April. India’s collaboration
rupees (SLRS) into the SL-UDI project, oversee database management, software with Sri Lanka is significant as it operates
which is designed to boost the economy, updates, and logins. The DRP is currently the world’s largest digital identity system,
enhance services, and reduce corruption. in the final stages of implementing the providing funding and technical expertise
Weeraratne also revealed that the previous platform and training personnel. Collection for the e-NIC project. International financial
government had secured a financial grant of fingerprints and facial recognition data organizations such as the World Bank
of SLRS 10.4 billion from India to support is expected to begin next month. The and the Asian Development Bank are
the project, which is estimated to cost SLRS revised Digital ID Act in Sri Lanka now also in discussions to support Sri Lanka’s
20 billion (approximately US$67.3 million). includes provisions for fingerprint and digitalization efforts. With the increasing
This sum includes the establishment of facial recognition. Iris biometric scanning importance of digital infrastructure,
two sophisticated data centers to host will be introduced later once the DRP commentators have urged Sri Lankan
the platform at DRP sites, alongside the and system infrastructure are ready for officials to ensure adequate safeguards are
running costs for three years and hardware this data collection. Initially, the digital ID in place, maintaining sovereign control over
expenses. The Sri Lankan government program will be launched for 16-year-olds, the nation’s digital identity system.

Satellite Internet Fuels Industry 4.0 Across the GCC

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is satellite broadband is facilitating tele- ity is expected to significantly boost SME
stepping into a new age of digital transfor- medicine initiatives and enabling virtual contributions to the GCC’s GDP. The Fourth
mation, and satellite internet is leading the classrooms, bringing quality education to Industrial Revolution is transforming key
charge. While cities across the region enjoy remote corners of the Kingdom. Small and sectors in the GCC, including oil and gas,
fast and widespread connectivity, remote medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital agriculture, and logistics. Satellite technol-
areas have been left in the digital dust—until to the GCC’s economic prosperity. Satellite ogy is playing a crucial role in this transfor-
now. Satellite internet is changing the game internet is empowering these businesses, mation. For instance, Saudi Aramco’s use
by bringing high-speed access to these particularly in countries like Bahrain and of various digital technologies, for remote
underserved communities, sparking inno- the UAE, with seamless access to e-com- monitoring and automation in its oil fields
vation and boosting growth across all sec- merce platforms, cloud-based solutions offers a relevant example. They’ve report-
tors. It’s not just about staying connected; and global markets. By leveraging satellite ed significant improvements in efficiency,
it’s about opening up a world of possibilities connectivity, SMEs can adopt advanced safety, and environmental performance.
for everyone. Despite advanced infrastruc- logistics and inventory management sys- In oil sector, the integration of IoT-enabled
ture in major cities, significant connectiv- tems, enhancing their competitiveness in sensors with satellite networks can opti-
ity gaps remain as a challenge for further international trade. Across the UAE and the mizing oil extraction processes, contribut-
advancements and tech adoption. Satellite wider Middle East, farms are increasingly ing to increased operational efficiency and
internet is playing a key role in bridging this adopting precision farming techniques, le- safety. Further, satellite technology is en-
divide, connecting remote communities veraging satellite-based technologies such abling precision farming techniques in arid
to essential services like education and as GPS-guided tractors, drones for crop regions, with the potential to significantly
healthcare. In Saudi Arabia, where Vision monitoring, and sensors for efficient irri- improve agricultural yields.
2030 prioritizes equitable development, gation management. Increased connectiv-

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