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 to strengthen cybersecurity knowledge and capacity for the responsible use of digital technologies in development.
The agreement was signed by Edward Vrkić, UNDP’s Resident Representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, and Helen Liu, Founder of BGA at the Cybersecurity, Trust and Digital Safety Launch Summit in Singapore. The signing was followed by a panel discussion on securing digital trust and the role of public-private partnerships in strengthening cybersecurity.
“The governments we support are facing growing and increasingly complex cybersecurity challenges, driven by ongoing conflicts, AI-enabled fraud, and more sophisticated cyberattacks,” said Robert Pasicko, UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (AltFinLab) Team Lead. “Strengthening cybersecurity capacities and building resilient, trusted digital systems are essential to addressing these risks. We welcome the opportunity to deepen our collaboration with the BGA, drawing on its expertise and experience.”
A critical time for collaboration
As public institutions rely more on digital systems, including blockchain technology, cybersecurity is critical to protecting services, public funds and trust. Rapid advances in artificial intelligence are making cyber threats more sophisticated and systems more complex. The partnership will help public institutions strengthen the technical, governance and response capabilities needed to manage cyber risks and safeguard essential public services.
The programme will be implemented by UNDP’s AltFinLab in collaboration with BGA. Over two years, it will draw on the cybersecurity expertise of BGA’s global ecosystem to provide hands-on learning and advisory support. Capacity-building activities will be delivered through three channels: the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, which supports emerging technology solutions for the Sustainable Development Goals; the Government Blockchain Academy for public officials; and dedicated training sessions for UNDP Country Offices and government partners. The programme will focus on topics such as data protection, secure digital payments and the security of public digital services.
“Prevention, response and recovery are the three pillars of cybersecurity, and public institutions need all three,” said Glenn Tan, Director of Global Affairs at the Blockchain for Good Alliance. “The private sector holds much of the expertise across these areas, yet public institutions and international organizations with pressing needs often lack direct channels to access it and collaborate. This partnership opens that door.”
The partnership builds on BGA’s role as Strategic Partner of the UNDP SDG Blockchain Accelerator, now entering its third cohort, and its participation in the Blockchain Advisory Group (BAG). Convened by UNDP, BAG brings together ecosystem leaders to explore how blockchain can contribute to sustainable development and strengthen digital public systems.
