News
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), today announced two initiatives to…
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 complex urban transitions and connect…
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…
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…
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…
UNDP and the Stellar Development Foundation extend partnership to scale proven digital payment solutions
Building on research across seventeen countries and live pilots in five, the next phase establishes the governance and infrastructure for UNDP country offices to use blockchain-based digital payments as a regular part of programme delivery.
UNDP convenes high-level event in Paris on scaling blockchain for good
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will convene Scaling Blockchain for Public Good, a two-day high-level event bringing together blockchain ecosystem leaders, governments, development organizations, and academic institutions to explore the practical pathways through which blockchain technologies can strengthen public systems and support sustainable development. The programme is organized by UNDP’s Alternative…
UN Blockchain Talks #8 | Money’s New Rails: Stablecoins and the Last Mile of Financial Inclusion
The eighth session of the UN Blockchain Talks used the story of Mariama, a fictional trader in The Gambia, to bring the discussion on stablecoins closer to the realities of last-mile financial inclusion. Mariama runs…
SDG Blockchain Accelerator: Driving SDG Impact in 2025
In 2025, the SDG Blockchain Accelerator delivered 46 pilot- and implementation-ready solutions, with 12 already entering real-world testing. Developed across two global cohorts, 70% of these solutions are embedded within ongoing national and regional programmes…
Digital payments that work under real constraints: Three UNDP SDG Blockchain Accelerator pilots show what last-mile readiness actually looks like
There’s a question that doesn’t get asked enough in digital finance: what does “working” actually mean when you’re operating at the last mile? Digital payments solve obvious problems on paper: instant settlement, lower fees, and…
UNDP launches new publication on blockchain and public-purpose digital systems
UNDP has released a new publication, “New Tech, New Partners: Transforming development in the digital era – A snapshot of UNDP’s blockchain practice,” offering a practical look at how blockchain technologies are being tested and…
Blockchain Academy launches its second global cohort
The UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab), in partnership with the Algorand Foundation, has launched the second global cohort of the Blockchain Academy, drawing unprecedented interest from across the UN system. Designed to strengthen practical understanding of responsible…
From dialogue to action: Building a shared vision for blockchain and sustainable development
As the world moves closer to 2030, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires not just new resources and tools, but new forms of collaboration. UNDP’s most recent Strategic Plan recognizes digital transformation as a key accelerator for…
Call for Applications: Blockchain Academy 2026
Transform the future of the SDGs with hands-on blockchain skills Are you ready to harness the power of blockchain to accelerate innovation and solve real-world challenges? If you’re part of UNDP, UNCDF, or UNV (within UNDP), this…