News
UNDP launches global AI Foundations for Municipalities course
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched AI Foundations for Municipalities, a self-paced online course open to municipal staff and public servants worldwide, regardless of their role, technical background or prior knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI). Artificial intelligence is…
The (In)Visible Effects of the M4EG Mission Journey: A Balcony View of the Region
The Narrative of Transformation How we speak about change fundamentally shapes the change itself. In development, it is easy to default to reporting in templates with indicators, inputs, outputs, efficiencies, and deliverables. But working with human systems and our capacity…
UNDP and Exponential Science Foundation launch the Government Blockchain Academy in El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Argentina
Istanbul, Lugano, 26 October 2026 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through its Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab), and the Exponential Science Foundation (ESF) have launched the Government Blockchain Academy in El Salvador, the Dominican…
On foot or by bike: Four new tourist routes to explore in Sireți
Just 17 km from Chișinău, Sireți invites visitors to slow down and discover the village from a different perspective. Four new tourist routes, two for walking and two for cycling, connect the locality’s better-known landmarks…
BOOSTCamp in Warsaw: Innovation ecosystem builders come together
Twelve organisations from Moldova and Ukraine, selected for the BOOST: Innovation Ecosystem Accelerator, will meet at a BOOSTCamp in Warsaw from 13–15 October. Held at the CIC Warsaw Innovation Campus and hosted with Venture Café Warsaw, UNDP BOOST’s…
GrantsFund4Aid concludes successful on-chain grant management pilot
GrantsFund4Aid, an on-chain grant management platform developed by Innofund, has concluded a pilot testing how blockchain technology can support more transparent, traceable and efficient grant management. It successfully disbursed test grants to ten teams participating…
EU and UNDP launch an Innovative Finance Challenge to help cities unlock new financing opportunities
ISTANBUL, 16 October 2026 – The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), through the Mayors for Economic Growth (M4EG) Facility, funded by the European Union, and the City Experiment Fund (CEF), funded by the Ministry of Finance…
UNDP and Blockchain for Good Alliance launch Cybersecurity Programme
The United Nations Development programme (UNDP) and Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA), the global non-profit initiative founded by Bybit, dedicated to leveraging blockchain for societal impact, have signed an agreement to launch a two-year programme…
Green Economy Hub Opens in Kovel, Volyn Oblast, with Support from Slovakia and UNDP
Kovel, Volyn Oblast, 5 October 2026 – Residents, local authorities, civil society and businesses in the city of Kovel now have a shared home for sustainable innovation with the official launch of the Green Economy…
UNDP selects four municipalities to join the CEF x AI programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has selected four municipalities – Skopje, North Macedonia; Rivne, Ukraine; Yerevan, Armenia; and Pristina, Kosovo[1] – for the first phase of the CEF x AI programme, following an application…
Circle Foundation announces support for United Nations Development Programme and World Food Programme to advance digital payments for development and humanitarian action
NEW YORK — [September 25, 2026] — Circle Foundation, a philanthropic initiative supported by Circle Internet Group, Inc.’s (NYSE: CRCL) 1% equity commitment, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Food Programme (WFP),…
UNDP releases 2025 Slovak Transformation Fund Annual Report
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Europe and Central Asia has published the 2025 Annual Report for the Slovak Transformation Fund (STF), highlighting how cities across the region are strengthening their capacity to manage…
M4EG: Leading cities when the compass fails
Originally posted at M4EG’s website, read the full article here. When familiar maps no longer work and the compass starts to spin, leadership is about learning to navigate the unknown. Tools alone are not the…
M4EG: What if the project is not the point?
Originally posted at M4EG’s website, read the full article here. Cities rarely move in straight lines. A tourism problem is also a skills problem, a public-service problem, a business-confidence problem and often a community-belief problem.…
UNDP and DFINITY Foundation collaborate on exploring sovereign cloud infrastructure and decentralized AI deployment for public good
New York, Istanbul, Zurich, 25 August — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the DFINITY Foundation today announced a new partnership to explore the deployment of sovereign cloud infrastructure and decentralized artificial intelligence to…
UNDP AltFinLab invites UN teams to apply for the 2026 SDG Blockchain Accelerator
The UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab) has launched an open call for the third edition of the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, inviting UNDP Country Offices and other UN entities to submit development challenges linked to active…
UNEP provides US$1.95 million to scale up Armenia’s circular bioeconomy transition
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), through its Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), has approved over US$2.2 million in funding to accelerate Armenia’s transition towards a circular bioeconomy – strengthening municipal systems, reducing organic…
Urban Talks series | Summary and takeaways
Urban Talks is an interactive webinar series that spotlights cities and initiatives that are building new inclusive visions across Europe and Central Asia and wider, and showcases how cities are demonstrating resilience, reinventing their economies,…