The United Nations’ evolving digital agenda reached a key milestone with the formation of the Office of Digital and Emerging Technologies — a dedicated unit within the UN Secretariat tasked with guiding and coordinating digital policy implementation. This institutional step reflects the growing urgency of the UN’s Global Digital Compact, a proposed framework to shape the future of the digital world in line with UN values.
The Office was announced in mid-2025 as part of a broader realignment of the UN’s technology functions. It operates under the leadership of the Envoy on Technology, working alongside UNDP, ITU, and UNESCO to harmonize ethical AI development, data governance, and digital inclusion efforts.
“We are entering a phase where digital policy must be proactive, inclusive, and rights-based,” said Amandeep Singh Gill, the UN Tech Envoy. “The new office allows us to better coordinate system-wide digital efforts and act as a bridge between governments, civil society, and the private sector.”
The Global Digital Compact, first proposed by the UN Secretary-General in his ‘Our Common Agenda’ report, seeks to address global gaps in connectivity, safeguard human rights online, and ensure responsible use of AI. With its implementation targeted for the Summit of the Future, the compact includes principles for universal digital inclusion, protecting data rights, and securing digital public goods.
The new Office will help monitor and support the compact’s execution, especially in areas of cross-cutting importance like emerging technologies (AI, quantum computing, IoT), cybersecurity norms, and open science.
In its first six months, the office has prioritized three workstreams:
1. Supporting Member States in developing national digital compacts
2. Convening stakeholders for multilateral discussions on AI standards
3. Advancing a shared UN-wide strategy for trustworthy digital infrastructure
Civil society groups have welcomed the development, though some caution that implementation must go beyond declarations. “This is a good step, but we need meaningful accountability mechanisms built into the Compact and its rollout,” said Anri Khachatryan of Access Now.
The Office of Digital and Emerging Technologies is expected to play a central role in shaping multilateral negotiations on AI and other technologies in 2026 and beyond.
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