The Singapore Smart Nation initiative, launched in 2014, is a nation-wide digitalization effort, built on mutually reinforcing plans to build a Digital Economy, Digital Government and Digital Society.
This means every industry, business and government agency stepping up to accelerate its digitalization efforts, to drive a whole-of-nation movement powered by a society of digitally ready citizens and communities. This widespread transformation is exemplified through major national projects, in areas such as digital infrastructure and service delivery, including an integrated nation-wide sensor platform, several smart urban mobility projects, and e-payment for all. Other main initiatives are Urban Living, Transport, Health, Digital Government Services, and Start-ups and Business. Example: Using GPS data, researchers and programmers can tell how fast or slow a bus is going and how many people are on board at any given time. With this information choke points can be identified at different times of the day, which will ensure a more well-oiled transport system.
Singapore state government (the Smart Nation and Digital Government Office, under the Prime Minister’s Office).
Singapore state government (not verified information)
“We envision a Smart Nation that is a leading economy powered by digital innovation, and a world-class city with a Government that gives our citizens the best home possible and responds to their different and changing needs….A Smart Nation is a Singapore where people will be more empowered to live meaningful and fulfilled lives, enabled seamlessly by technology, offering exciting opportunities for all. It is where businesses can be more productive and seize new opportunities in the digital economy. It is a nation which collaborates with international partners to deliver digital solutions and benefit people and businesses across boundaries.”
“It’s not a new idea. Indeed, many government agencies have already been adding “smarts” to their existing hardware, like cameras, over the past few years. Yet, IDA’s [The Infocom Development Authority] effort is laudable in many ways. It wants to centralize the effort and get both public and private organizations to share the infrastructure and connect to a common interface. This can jumpstart many new services.” Extract from article by Alfred Siew, Techgoondu.
This case can be linked to several SDGs, most obviously perhaps to no. 3 - Good health and well-being - as one of the main initiatives concerns health, no. 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure - due to the focus on e.g. infrastructure, start-ups and businesses, and to no. 11 - Sustainable cities and communities - as it aims for an inclusive and sustainable urbanization.
No interview - online information only: https://www.smartnation.gov.sg/
https://www.techgoondu.com/2014/06/17/commentary-idas-smart-nation-vision-needs-buy-in/
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-39641262