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…
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,…
Blockchain for Public Good: Insights from UNDP’s Paris Convenings
Governments around the world are accelerating their digital transformation efforts. As they do, blockchain has gained attention as one of several technologies that can help strengthen public systems, from digital payments and identity to climate…
UN Blockchain Talks #9 | AI Agents, Federated Learning, and the Sovereign AI Stack
The ninth and closing session of the spring UN Blockchain Talks handed the floor to three private-sector builders working at the edge of AI and blockchain, and asked them a blunt question: what do you actually…
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…
City Imaginarium: Bringing Urban Futures into Public Spaces?
What kind of cities do we want to live in – and how do we get there? Launched on World Cities Day (31 October 2025), City Imaginarium went beyond a traditional awareness campaign, using art and storytelling to…
Goparity collaborates with United Nations Development Programme AltFinLab to advance impact standards in crowdlending
Lisbon, 18 March 2026 – Goparity, a Portuguese impact investment platform, has collaborated with AltFinLab, a flagship United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) initiative, pioneering alternative and innovative finance solutions, to further develop and refine impact…
Where the United Nations blockchain work meets practice: UN Blockchain Talks 2026
Blockchain work across the UN system has grown steadily, but not always in a coordinated manner. Some teams are piloting real solutions; others are still assessing whether the technology fits their operational reality. This creates…
Visioning a future-ready workforce in the Western Balkans: Digital skills and regional competitiveness
At the Western Balkans Digital Summit 2025 in Skopje, we asked six regional experts¹ from across the Western Balkans 6 (WB6) two questions: what works, and what is missing in digital skills in the region? Through lightning talks, an interactive “harvest” workshop and a…
From Silos to Systems: Rethinking Urban Governance Through Portfolio Approaches
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…
United Nations Development Programme Announces Stellar and FLock.io as New Partners in SDG Blockchain Accelerator
Together with existing partners Blockchain for Good Alliance and EMURGO Labs, the initiative will pilot blockchain solutions for sustainable development. August 19, 2025 — The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is expanding its Sustainable Development…
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,…