Question:
How can regulators balance innovation, investment and consumer protection without over-regulating or under- regulating ?
Chair,
Excellencies, Ministers,
Distinguished Heads of Regulatory Authorities, ladies and gentlemen,
It is a privilege to participate in this WSIS Forum 2026 Regulators Roundtable and to reflect on how we can collectively translate the GSR-26 Governance Essentials into practical, implementable regulatory approaches for digital markets.
Across our jurisdictions, the digital economy is evolving at a pace that increasingly outstrips traditional regulatory cycles. In this context, the Governance Essentials provide a valuable shared reference point to support regulatory coherence, predictability, and investment confidence, while safeguarding public interest.
Sri Lanka’s National Digital Economy Strategy 2030 sets out an ambitious vision for a trusted, inclusive, and globally competitive digital economy. Within this national framework, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has been progressively advancing a set of regulatory reforms designed to operationalize these principles in practice.
A central priority has been strengthening a predictable and investment-enabling regulatory environment.
In this regard, the Radio Frequency Spectrum Auction Regulations have enhanced transparency and efficiency in spectrum assignment, supporting fair access to a critical national resource and improving investor confidence. Complementing this, the Telecommunications Infrastructure Sharing Regulations encourage both passive and active infrastructure sharing, helping to reduce duplication of investment, improve cost efficiency, and accelerate the extension of connectivity, particularly to underserved and rural communities. In parallel, we continue to place strong emphasis on fair and well-functioning digital markets. The Competition Rules are being supported by enhanced market analysis capabilities, enabling more structured assessments of market dynamics, market power, and consumer welfare outcomes, based on robust evidence and data.
The modernization of the licensing framework through the Provider License Rules further strengthens regulatory clarity and adaptability. The introduction of differentiated license categories—including telecommunication service, infrastructure, and cable landing station licenses also helps facilitate broader participation in the sector and encourages new investment models. On the consumer side, the Broadband Quality of Service (QoS) Standard Rules reinforce our commitment to measurable service standards, ensuring accountability in network performance and improving the overall user experience in an increasingly digital dependent society. In addition, enhanced SIM registration frameworks are being implemented to strengthen trust, improve security, and reduce misuse, thereby supporting the integrity of emerging digital identity and digital financial ecosystems. Across these areas, we are increasingly integrating cost modelling approaches to support transparent and evidence-based regulatory decision-making, particularly in relation to pricing, access, and interconnection. This contributes to a more balanced approach that supports both sustainable investment and consumer protection. Taken together, these initiatives reflect the core intent of the GSR-26 Governance Essentials promoting transparency, accountability, predictability, proportionality, and data-informed regulation in a rapidly evolving digital environment.
In this context, we also welcome the development of the Actionable Core Toolkit (ACT), which we see as a valuable mechanism for supporting regulators in self-assessment, peer learning, and continuous institutional strengthening. In conclusion, Sri Lanka’s experience reinforces the view that governance essentials are most effective when translated into practical regulatory instruments and measurable actions. This approach helps ensure that digital transformation is not only technologically driven, but also institutionally grounded, inclusive, and sustainable, fully aligned with the objectives of the National Digital Economy Strategy 2030.
Thank you.