Blockchain Is Crucial For Sustainable Development: UN Secretary-General



On December 28 The secretary general of the United Nations stated that the UN must embrace blockchain in order to progress. Forbes published a report showing the strong belief of the UN secretary-general António Guterres in these technologies as the one which ”can help accelerate the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals” as he puts it. Blockchain should be one of the technologies embraced by the UN.



Guterres has long been a great supporter of the technology, as he spoke about the immense possiblilities of blockchain before. In July he established a “High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation” in order to integrate blockchain into the UN projects.



Last year in September he also stated that trust to national organizations in different countries gradually diminishes, and blockchain is one of the technologies which can assist the UN in harnessing the trend.

However, he was not so enthusiastic about cryptocurrencies:

“Organized criminal networks lurk on the dark web, profiting from encryption and near-anonymous cryptocurrency payments to traffic in people and illegal goods.”



The same viewpoint was expressed by Neil Wals, chief of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Global Cybercrime Program, who noted that cryptocurrencies often thwart the efforts to combat money laundering.



United Nations (UN) implementing blockchain



Since the introduction of the digital cooperation program by Guterres the UN has started to use cryptocurrency technology more actively. As it has been recently reported, earlier this month the UN and a blockchain financial services firm Diginex launched a blockchain solution known as International Recruitment Integrity System Self-Assessment for Ethical Recruitment. Its main purpose is to ensure ethical recruitment for migrants in Hong Kong.

In July the UN was reported to develop blockchain-based solutions aimed at advancing 12 cities in Afghanistan.



Finally, in April Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, the president of the UN aviation agency, stated that these technologies can be used to strengthen safety and security in all sectors of aviation.