News
Why municipal finance is about more than funding
In Tashir, Armenia, the need is clear: the city’s drinking-water system requires rehabilitation. But the route to financing is less straightforward. Before engaging an external funder, the city needs clarity on technical scope, who will operate and maintain the system,…
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…
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…
Why municipal finance is about more than funding
In Tashir, Armenia, the need is clear: the city’s drinking-water system requires rehabilitation. But the route to financing is less straightforward. Before engaging an external funder, the city needs clarity on technical scope, who will…
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…
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 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…
Istanbul Innovation Days | Blockchain-based solutions in action
Following the Istanbul Innovation Days held in March 2025, we are releasing a series of articles capturing key insights, bold ideas and solutions that emerged from the conversations on institutional innovation. From reimagining partnerships to…
Smart Futures: Harnessing Blockchain and AI for Sustainable Innovation
In Berlin, on 12-13 June 2025, the Smart Futures event convened a global community of innovators, policymakers and technologists to explore how frontier technologies – particularly blockchain and artificial intelligence – can accelerate progress toward…
United Nations Development Programme and Stellar Development Foundation join forces to advance blockchain solutions for financial inclusion
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Europe and Central Asia and the Stellar Development Foundation (SDF) have announced a strategic partnership aimed at harnessing blockchain technology to accelerate progress toward meeting the United Nations’…
Reimagining urban finance for a climate-resilient future
At last week’s COP29, nations faced an urgent priority – addressing the critical role of finance in adapting to climate change and tackling loss and damage. Cities, which account for over 70% of global CO2 emissions and…