UN Engagement in Technology

While the UN might not be perceived as a technology leader, it has been engaged in technology and digital debates and issues throughout its history. o The General Assembly’s first resolution focused on managing the risks of a new technology at that time- atomic energy. o The International Telecommunications Union, now part of the United Nations, was founded in 1865, 80 years before the UN’s Charter was signed.

• Secretary-General (SG) António Guterres, an engineer by training, has prioritized bringing technology and digital issues more centrally into the UN’s work, from how it delivers its mandate more effectively in the field, to serving as a convener and platform for global discussions with member states, but also with a much broader community, including of course the private sector. https://www.un.org/en/newtechnologies/