As recently reported, Belgium has contributed about $2.4 million to the United Nation’s World Food Programme (WFP) to work on a Blockchain project. The official announcement stated that the contribution will support WFP’s technology projects including the blockchain-based payments pilot project that has been launched for refugees.
Earlier it was reported by CoinDesk that WFP launched an Ethereum-based payments pilot project last year. The aim of this project is to increase the efficacy and transparency of cash transfers which are made to displaced Syrians living in Jordanian refugee camps.
The contribution made by Belgium will be used to expand the research which is currently being conducted on blockchain solutions by the agency. It will also be used in the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) project which aims on collecting topographical data and conducting damage analysis in order to better cope with natural disasters.
Belgium’s deputy prime minister and minister for development cooperation, Alexander De Croo was the official representative to announce the large contribution. In his announcement he also stated how important Belgium government finds it to invest in new technologies nowadays. According to De Croo, they support the great initiatives by WFP which strives to “come up with innovative solutions to save more lives and help more people in need”.
WFP chief of staff, Rehan Asad commented on the important announcement stating that humanitarians should keep looking for better solutions for world’s most vulnerable people in the most promising digital technologies.
Currently several U.N. agencies explore and research on blockchain applications and WFP is just one of them. Last year a blockchain working group was organized by U.N. Office for Project Services (UNOPS) which included several other UN agencies which aim on working together in discovering more applications of the newest technology in the most different fields out there.
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