“For the United Nations (UN) to deliver better on our mandate in the digital age, we need to embrace technologies like blockchain that can help accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).” ~ United Nations secretary-general António Guterres
As reported by Forbes on 28th December, 2019:
Coming at a time when the president of China has touted blockchain as a national priority, and the $6 billion United Nations Children’s Fund has started accepting bitcoin and ethereum donations for some of its projects, the statement from Guterres shows that #cryptocurrency and #blockchain is being seriously explored at the highest levels of the largest organizations in the world.
While China seems largely focused on using blockchain as a way to prevent money laundering and better track its citizens’ transactions, the United Nations work has been more focused on giving donors increased assurance their donations are being spent how they wish, while reducing waste from the organization’s giant supply chain.
Summarized by Dr Rehana from Rehanstat:
Blockchain is urgently needed to be adopted:
1) Stop money laundering (China),
2) Fair distribution of money donated (UN), and
3) The use of Blockchain technology as a currency.
Note:
This seems to be a follow up message after UN launched the Secretary-General’s High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation back in July 2019, which is co-chaired by US philanthropist Melinda Gates and China-based Alibaba founder Jack Ma, that will have 20 members in total and include leaders from industry, civil society and academia.
High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation
“This is the first such panel of its kind – and will be comprised of women and men at the frontiers of technology, public policy, science, and academia.” ~ United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres
“That competitive spirit, that mindset, could pervade this domain and does impede the potential of digital technology to contribute to the achievement of the goals of the Agenda 2030 on sustainable development.” ~ Representing the body on behalf of the UN Secretariat, Executive Director and co-chair, Ambassador Amandeep Gill
Further reading:
Secretary-General Says United Nations Must Embrace Blockchain
UN chief pushes for greater benefits from new technology, as he launches digital experts panel
