The untapped potential of nearly half of Sri Lanka’s population who are yet to gain access to the internet is an area of focus for the Ministry of Digital Technology, subject Minister Namal Rajapaksa said.
He said in addition to this, the Ministry is identifying infrastructure and resource gaps across Sri Lanka, especially in the rural communities, to facilitate uninterrupted access to the digital space.
The Minister further said recent statistics have indicated that approximately 50.8% of Sri Lanka’s population are internet users and nearly 8 million of these are active social media users.
Minister Namal Rajapaksa made the observation at the inaugural Member Connect event of the Digital Marketing Association of Sri Lanka.
Full statement of Minister Namal Rajapaksa:
It gives me great pleasure to be with you all for the inaugural Member Connect Event of the Digital Marketing Association of Sri Lanka. I believe that it’s fitting to connect with you virtually for this forum, as we celebrate a milestone in Sri Lanka’s digital space – the coming together of a professional network for Digital Marketers that has now opened its doors to welcome new members.
The Digital Marketing Association of Sri Lanka (DMASL) was launched earlier this year to set in place professional standards, ethical guidelines, and best practices for the digital marketing industry in Sri Lanka. Their ambition extends to supporting the continuous professional development of its members and facilitating opportunities to access the global arena – an agenda that would benefit anyone looking for membership in this association.
With my recent appointment as State Minister of Digital Technology and Entrepreneur Development, it’s been my mandate to ensure that we empower and pave way for a digitally-driven Sri Lanka. Recent statistics indicate approximately 50.8% of our population are internet users while nearly 8 million of these are active social media users. While these are encouraging statistics, there is still untapped potential of nearly half the population who are yet to gain access to the internet which is an area of focus for us. In addition to this, we are identifying infrastructure and resource gaps across Sri Lanka, especially in the rural communities, to facilitate uninterrupted access to the digital space.
As we know all too well, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted lives, economies, and the ecosystems of nearly every country worldwide. We see global leaders exploring ways to curb the pandemic’s destructive impact, with vaccination drives being the ultimate solution. In Sri Lanka too, the Government has led an aggressive vaccination drive with (% to be indicated) vaccinated to date and we continue to bring in large batches of the Sinopharm vaccine to complete these efforts. Amid our vaccination efforts, we have been working towards effective programmes and initiatives to support the digital ecosystem in which there is now an increased dependency from Sri Lankan consumers. The most recent report from the Central Bank too indicated continued growth in the digital services sector even amidst the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are currently exploring and expediting our work towards setting up robust virtual education systems for children at home as a matter of priority and initiatives like e-Thaksalawa have been essential digital platforms to support this agenda.
With the pandemic causing consumers to shift their behaviour drastically, online purchases have increased significantly. Consumer interaction with brands has evolved at an accelerated pace, giving us data and research to leverage on. Against this backdrop, the role digital marketing plays can be a game-changer for our economy and our future, and I’m certain that everyone gathered here today is fully aware of its potential.
Our aspirations and plans for the digital space in Sri Lanka are ambitious but certainly achievable with a collaborative approach from industry stakeholders. It’s important that professionals like the Digital Marketing Association of Sri Lanka members support and drive the national strategy for digital technology and use their expertise to help make a tangible impact. The association has already taken steps in the right direction by committing to formalize the professional and ethical standards and establish best practices for the digital marketing industry, objectives that I find commendable.
The digital marketing space continues to evolve at a rapid pace and digital marketers must be agile, relevant, and effective in their strategies to conquer challenges and seize the right opportunities to augment the industry and compete at a global level. I’m sure that through a professional association like the DMASL, we will soon witness a transformation that will motivate others to contribute to this journey as well.
I take this opportunity to congratulate the newly appointed Executive Committee of the Digital Marketing Association of Sri Lanka and wish every one of you the very best. I look forward to seeing the roadmap and plans you have formulated for the immediate future and working in collaboration with the Ministry to transform the digital landscape of Sri Lanka.
Thank you and stay safe. (NewsWire)