Sri Lanka Remarks
by Satya Rodrigo,Deputy Permanent Representative
First Session of the Open-ended Working Group on developments in the field
ofinformation and telecommunications in the context of international security
New York, lO*** September 2019
Merci Monsieur le President,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
May I take this opportunity to congratulate Ambassador Lauber on his election as
Chair of the Open-ended Working Group on developments in the use of
information and telecommunications in the context of international security. My
delegation assures you of our full support and cooperation in your stewardship of
this very important process.
Many date the World Wide Web to 1989. But I am not sure if many are aware of
the first use ofloT 7 years before, in 1982, when a group of computer scientists in
Carnegie Mellon University, tired of running back and forth to a coke machine-
added some sensors and connected it to their local network, so they could log in
and check how many Coke Bottles were left and how cold they were, without
leaving their rooms. Today, we are connected to the web, in multiple ways. It is
estimated that 50 Billion devices will be connected by 2020.
Across the globe, digital technologies have evolved into an impowering economic
tool that has helped improve the quality of life of people and it has transformed the
way that businesses, governments and people connect, engage and access
information and services. Societies are now dependent on digital technologies and
these are now considered a fundamental social infrastructure prerequisite for
development. Many small businesses are using the internet, social media tools and
devices to sell their goods and find a market. In more developed countries, many
connect their smart phones to every aspect oftheir live.