The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA) have signed a two-year agreement to strengthen cybersecurity expertise and promote the responsible use of digital technologies in public institutions. The initiative will focus on data protection, secure digital payments, and the resilience of public digital services as governments increasingly rely on technology to deliver essential services.
The partnership aims to strengthen institutional cybersecurity capabilities by combining UNDP’s development expertise with BGA’s blockchain ecosystem and technical education programs.
The agreement was signed in Singapore at the UNDP Global Centre for Technology, Innovation and Sustainable Development. Edward Vrkić, UNDP resident representative to Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, signed on behalf of the development organization, while BGA founder Helen Liu represented the alliance.
The program will be implemented by the UNDP Alternative Finance Lab, known as AltFinLab, in collaboration with BGA. It is intended to help public institutions develop the technical knowledge and governance frameworks needed to deploy digital technologies responsibly.
The initiative comes as governments expand their use of digital identity systems, electronic payments, public records, and blockchain-based applications. Protecting these systems against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks has become an important consideration for institutions responsible for public funds and essential services.
Training Programs to Support Government Cybersecurity
The partnership will use BGA’s existing educational initiatives to provide learning opportunities for public officials and other participants in digital development.
These initiatives include the SDG Blockchain Accelerator, which is entering its third cohort, and the Government Blockchain Academy, a capacity-building program designed to help public officials understand blockchain technology and its potential applications.
The agreement also includes dedicated training sessions for UNDP country offices and relevant government counterparts. These activities are intended to improve awareness of cybersecurity risks and strengthen the ability of public institutions to evaluate and manage digital infrastructure.
Artificial intelligence is increasing the speed and sophistication of certain cyber threats, including automated fraud attempts and attacks targeting digital systems. The partnership seeks to help institutions respond to these evolving risks by drawing on technical expertise from the private sector.
The program will focus on protecting digital infrastructure used for identity management, payment processing, aid delivery, and public records, where security failures could disrupt essential services or expose sensitive information.
The effectiveness of these efforts will depend on how participating institutions apply the training, establish appropriate security controls, and maintain safeguards as their systems evolve.
UNDP Expands Its Digital Development Work
UNDP works with countries to address poverty, support sustainable economic growth, and advance human development. Its Alternative Finance Lab explores innovative financing approaches that can help mobilize resources for the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Digital technologies, including blockchain, have attracted interest from development organizations seeking to improve the transparency, traceability, and efficiency of public services. However, these applications also introduce operational and cybersecurity considerations that require appropriate governance and technical oversight.
The new agreement places cybersecurity capacity-building alongside the broader effort to incorporate digital infrastructure into development programs. It also recognizes that public institutions may need additional expertise to assess technology risks and establish protections before deploying systems at scale.
BGA Brings Blockchain Industry Expertise
BGA is a nonprofit initiative focused on applying blockchain technology to social and development challenges. Founded by cryptocurrency exchange Bybit, the alliance works with organizations exploring the use of blockchain for public services and sustainable development.
BGA is a strategic partner of the UNDP SDG Blockchain Accelerator and participates in the UNDP’s Blockchain Advisory Group. The advisory forum brings together participants from the blockchain sector to examine how decentralized technologies could contribute to digital public systems.
Through the agreement, BGA will contribute its ecosystem and educational resources to support UNDP’s capacity-building activities. The arrangement provides a framework for collaboration between an international development organization and a blockchain-focused nonprofit initiative.
Cybersecurity Becomes Central to Digital Public Infrastructure
The partnership reflects a broader shift in digital development, as institutions move beyond experimental technology projects toward systems that require long-term security, reliability, and governance.
Blockchain-based identity and payment applications may offer operational benefits, but they are not inherently immune to cyberattacks, fraud, software vulnerabilities, or failures in the systems surrounding them. Effective deployment therefore requires security measures that address both the underlying technology and the organizations operating it.
By linking blockchain education with public-sector cybersecurity training, UNDP and BGA aim to help governments adopt digital technologies while strengthening their ability to protect public services and sensitive data.
The two-year program will test how private-sector expertise and structured training can support institutional readiness. Its broader significance will depend on implementation, the participation of government agencies, and whether the resulting knowledge translates into stronger cybersecurity practices across public digital infrastructure.
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