The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) has launched a request for information (RFI) for blockchain-based international assistance.

The RFI looks to formalize UNOPS’ outreach to commercial companies operating in the blockchain space.

“We hope to create an open and fair channel to the wider market,” Special Advisor for UN Engagement and Blockchain Technology, UNOPS, Yoshiyuki Yamamoto said.  

Yamamoto added that the UNOPS were looking for “commercial companies to work with the UN and international assistance in general, and fill the gap in the information available within the international assistance community.”

You can find the document here.

The announcement follows the news that the UN Food Programme (WFP) has been piloting leveraging blockchain technologies into the way it delivers assistance to those in need around the world.

A “multi-UN agency platform”

In January 2017, individuals from several UN organisations began to exchange information on the potential applications that blockchain technology could have for UN operations.

Each UN organization is a distinct entity with its own mandate, but the various organisations related to providing international assistance all see a benefit in adopting the technology.

Members of UNOPS, UNDP, WFP, UNICEF, UN Women and UNHCR are all in contact about future developments.

The group have begun creating a website to serve multiple UN agencies, that will:

• to keep UN group informed of the latest development in the blockchain space
• create a single place to go to find all blockchain-related UN news and work
• to create a place for the donor community to share the government’s initiative and contribution to development of blockchain-based work in the international assistance

The site is currently still under construction.

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