Following the announcement of UNOPS new partnership with IOTA, we caught up with our resident blockchain expert to hear more about the collaboration, and the exciting potential Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) could have for enhancing UNOPS operations.

Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) uses independent computers (known as nodes) to record, share and synchronize transactions in their respective electronic ledgers – across institutions and geographies – as opposed to keeping this data centralized. Blockchain is one type of distributed ledger, whereby data is organized into ‘blocks’ that are chained together in an append only mode.

There are a lot of different blockchain networks and projects happening right now. What made IOTA stand out as a potential partner for UNOPS?

Currently UNOPS is engaged with several entities, many of which use Bitcoin, Ethereum and other blockchains. We carry out our work all over the world, often in places with limited transport infrastructure, let alone digital infrastructure. This means sporadic access to high-speed internet connections or even electricity. We are excited to test out the capabilities of IOTA’s distributed ledger built specifically for IoT devices, which can be operated on battery power and/or alternative connectivity networks. There are some use cases you simply can’t build with most blockchains today, because the computing requirements are still too high.





So, how will the partnership work? Will UNOPS start with a specific trial, or set of trials, of the technology?

We are working with the IOTA Foundation to identify the most appropriate use cases for the first 'proof of concept', to help address some of the challenges that the UN as a whole faces when working in the field. It’s very much a collaborative process. We are learning about their technology, and they are learning about our unique challenges and tech needs. The idea is to work iteratively, scoping out the use case and figuring out which missing puzzle pieces IOTA’s technology can supply. As we identify gaps in the proposed test solution or additional elements that need to be added, we’ll work together with IOTA to identify and involve suitable other partners as well.