The Department of State held a Blockchain Forum today to discuss the future of “Distributed Ledger Technologies for Diplomacy and Development” in order to “explore both the policy implications and potential applications.”

Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan will provide remarks along with other U.S. Department of State officials.

The event was held at the Department of State’s George C. Marshall Center along with other U.S. Department of State officials.

The conference is in partnership with various offices from the State Department and other parts of the US government, as well as military industrial complex contractors – ConsenSys, Booz Allen Hamilton, and others – the event is a day long.

The Forum also included representatives from USAID, UNDP, AID: Tech, BanQu, ConsenSys, IBM, Microsoft, Bitfury, Booz Allen Hamilton; Pricewaterhouse Coopers and other companies will also present examples of Blockchain’s use. Leaders from the Blockchain Trust Accelerator and the World Food Programme will also discuss their experience developing pilot projects in the field.

The Forum aims to “educate the participants on potential applications of Blockchain technology in U.S. diplomacy and development and foster potential partnerships with organizations already working with the transformative technology,” a press release stated.

Leaders from the Blockchain Trust Accelerator and the World Food Programme will also discuss their experience developing pilot projects in the field.

While afternoon breakout groups will focus on “Blockchain’s potential to assist the world’s most vulnerable populations, transform foreign aid and trade, improve service delivery and human rights monitoring, enhance government services, and reduce cybersecurity vulnerabilities.”

The Forum is set to conclude with afternoon remarks from Arizona Congressman David Schweikert and Don Tapscott, author of Blockchain Revolution: How the Technology Behind Bitcoin is Changing Money, Business, and the World.

Last year under the previous Obama administration, the U.S. State Department advocated for the adoption of blockchain technology launched the “American Innovation Roadshow” with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Senior members of U.S. Secretary of State’s John Kerry’s economic team led business delegations from financial investors, U.S. multinational and early-stage companies.

Earlier this year in June the U.S. State Department announced it was looking for an intern to support research efforts for its “[email protected]” working group.

The State Department at the time outlined an ambitious approach to blockchain and Fintec, arguing that the U.S. agency needs to move quickly to explore ways in which the tech might impact our future discovering how it functions, Coindesk reported.

The full agenda that happened today can be briefly read HERE.

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