On September 13th, over 300 business professionals gathered in Ratnapura for the 5th Business and Investment Summit, hosted by Lanka Business TV. The keynote address was delivered by Professor Rohan Samarajiva, Chair of LIRNEasia, who explored the theme “Digitalization: What’s in it for Business.” His presentation offered a compelling look at how digital transformation can reshape business environments, drawing on both global benchmarks and Sri Lanka’s own progress.
Professor Samarajiva’s presentation looked at Estonia’s model of digital governance and then turned to Sri Lanka’s evolving digital landscape. He highlighted platforms like GovPay, which enable mobile payments for traffic fines and government services. These systems help reduce errors, improve revenue collection, and minimize corruption. He also discussed PROMISE, Sri Lanka’s electronic procurement system, which is helping SMEs gain better access to government contracts.
Export digitalization was another key theme, with Professor Samarajiva discussing Sri Lanka’s e-Certificate of Origin system. He connected these innovations to broader economic goals, noting how increased exports and efficient tax collection are vital for national debt management and SME growth.
For those interested, the full session can be viewed below.
The presentation slides are available below.
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