jasdooit

Sri Lanka, November 10 — The 16th National Cyber Security Conference in Sri Lanka, focusing on the topic ‘Creating a Secure and Cyber-Resilient Nation,’ is scheduled to occur at Water’s Edge in Battaramulla on the following day (November 12), according to Digital Economy Deputy Minister Eranga Weeraratne.

President Anura Kuara Dissanayake will serve as the Chief Guest. The gathering will bring together more than 400 attendees, comprising both local and global representatives.

This nationwide event is co-organized by the Ministry of the Digital Economy and the Sri Lanka Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT), uniting decision-makers, business professionals, scholars, tech specialists, and delegates from the government, private sector, corporate entities, non-governmental organizations, and educational institutions.

The main emphasis this year is on the sub-theme ‘Shaping Policy, Enabling Practice, and Strengthening National Response Capacity,’ which highlights the nation’s strategic approach to improving cyber readiness, digital confidence, and national resilience amidst growing cyber threats. The conference seeks to further foster robust multi-stakeholder cooperation, with each sector playing an active part in advancing cybersecurity and enhancing capabilities.

The Acting Secretary of the Ministry of the Digital Economy, Waruna Sri Dhanapala, will deliver the opening speech at the conference, highlighting cybersecurity as the fundamental element for economic growth and global competitiveness. This will be followed by a Special Address by the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Sri Lanka CERT, Dr. Kanishka Karunasena, who will talk about the execution of Sri Lanka’s National Cyber Security Strategy. The keynote speech will be given by Takafumi Kadono, the Country Director of the Asian Development Bank for Sri Lanka, focusing on global cybersecurity trends influencing national readiness.

The Deputy Minister for the Digital Economy will give a talk about enhancing public confidence in digital systems. Additional guest speakers, themed sessions, and informal discussions will address national cyber governance, protection of critical infrastructure, cybersecurity laws and data protection mechanisms, online safety, operational resilience, international collaboration in cyber defense, and the ethical application of new technologies like Artificial Intelligence, Cloud computing, and Quantum systems.

Various panel sessions will explore cybersecurity as a key element of digital economic development, legal preparedness for a digitally advanced nation, public online security, and the safe implementation of new technologies. Specialists from different fields will participate in these panels to aid in creating data-driven national policies and institutional progress.

This year’s conference has the backing of major industry sponsors. Dialog Enterprise is the Principal Sponsor, while Check Point is the Platinum Sponsor. Fortinet is the Gold Sponsor, TikTok is the Strategic Partner for Online Safety, and Sentry Labs is the Silver Sponsor. The involvement of these organizations highlights the common dedication to promoting national cybersecurity and public digital security in Sri Lanka.