The ICT4Peace Foundation welcomes the release and publication of the Strategy for the Digital Transformation of UN Peacekeeping. As noted by UN News,
Throughout its 75-year history, the UN has adapted and innovated, and the very idea of peacekeeping is itself the result of “the art of the possible”, he said while reminding however, that peacekeeping was conceived in an analogue world. “It is now essential that it fully embraces the digital world in which we live, to improve the UN’s agility, anticipation and responsiveness to conflicts and to be able to address the challenges of today and tomorrow”, underscored Mr. Guterres. “A shift in peacekeeping culture – as well as a systemic change – are required for this to happen”.
Download the report directly from the UN Peacekeeping website.
Sanjana Hattotuwa, Special Advisor at ICT4Peace, was part of the ‘Red Team’ that helped in the formulation of this report. The Red Team conducted a comprehensive review of the first and second draft of the peacekeeping technology strategy drawing on individual members’ expertise and experience. Taking into consideration existing UN workstreams related to digital technology, such as the Secretary-General’s Data Strategy, High-Level Panel on Digital Cooperation and Strategy on New Technologies, the multidisciplinary Red Team brought in perspectives from academic research and/or practical, operational views from the field. The Red Team consisted of established experts with in-depth knowledge on related issues, such as the use and misuse of digital technology, data governance, peacekeeping operations, and conflict.
For well over a decade, ICT4Peace has worked UN Peacekeeping & consequential partners like ZIF in Berlin to support & strengthen #peacekeeping, focussing on social media’s influence and importance in situational awareness, misinformation and disinformations impact on mission effectiveness, logistics, safety, security and mandate implementation, artificial intelligence and next-gen technology strategy. See these search results from our website our website for more details.