Capacity development Archives | Page 2 of 323

Rising data centre demand increases energy and cyber risks

Data centres are increasingly central to digital economies, but their rapid expansion is reshaping both electricity demand and cybersecurity risks. According to the International Energy Agency, data centres used about 1.5% of global electricity in 2024, with demand rising as AI and cloud services expand.

These facilities operate as both energy consumers and producers, relying on grid power while also maintaining on-site generation and battery systems. Their ability to switch power sources instantly supports service continuity but can also cause sudden load shifts that challenge grid stability during outages or cyber incidents.

Cybersecurity is now closely tied to energy resilience. Data centres depend on interconnected systems such as backup power, cooling, and digital control networks, all of which require continuous monitoring and protection.

Weaknesses in any part of this ‘system of systems’ can affect both service availability and wider electricity infrastructure.

Why does it matter?

Data centres are becoming a critical infrastructure that directly affects both digital services and electricity systems. Shared planning for power disruptions, cyber events, and load management is increasingly seen as necessary to ensure stability across both digital services and national energy systems.

Their rising energy demand and reliance on complex on-site and grid power arrangements mean disruptions or cyber incidents can have wider knock-on effects, making resilience and cross-sector coordination essential for overall system stability.

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UNESCO report warns over global quantum research inequality

According to UNESCO, the unequal access to quantum research infrastructure risks widening global scientific and technological divides, with nearly one in three researchers worldwide still lacking access to quantum research facilities despite rapid growth in investment and interest in the field.

The findings come from The Quantum Moment: A Global Report, Outcomes of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, which analysed more than 1,300 quantum science events across 83 countries and included a global survey of 590 experts in 81 countries.

The report highlights major regional disparities, with Europe and North America hosting 7 times as many quantum-related events per country as Africa.

More than 150 countries still lack a national quantum strategy, even though global public and private investment in quantum science and technology reached $55.7 billion by mid-2025, according to UNESCO.

The organisation also points to a persistent gender gap, noting that while women account for a much larger share of early-career participants, they make up only around 16% of senior researchers and 12% of leadership roles in quantum fields.

UNESCO says quantum technologies could transform areas including healthcare, computing, cybersecurity, and climate modelling. To address infrastructure inequality, it has launched the Global Quantum Initiative and expanded programmes that give researchers from developing economies remote access to advanced quantum computing systems.

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Uganda to host Digital Government Africa 2026 summit

Uganda has announced that it will host the 2026 Digital Government Africa conference, presenting the event as a platform for continental dialogue on digital transformation, public service modernisation, and government innovation.

The announcement was made at a press conference in Kampala by the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, the National Information Technology Authority of Uganda, and representatives of African Brains Global.

According to the organisers, the summit will bring together ministers, regulators, cybersecurity experts, cloud and data centre providers, digital finance institutions, investors, innovators, and development partners from across Africa and beyond. The event is scheduled to take place in Kampala from 6 to 8 October 2026.

Uganda’s Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Chris Baryomunsi, said the conference reflects growing confidence in the country’s digital transformation efforts and offers an opportunity to showcase how ICT is shaping service delivery and national development. The government linked the summit to Uganda’s wider Digital Transformation Roadmap, which focuses on digital infrastructure, e-government services, cybersecurity resilience, digital skills, and innovation.

Officials also pointed to Uganda’s expanding digital infrastructure. According to the ministry, the National Backbone Infrastructure now exceeds 5,000 kilometres of fibre-optic cable, connecting government institutions, districts, and urban centres, while more than 1,500 government sites use high-speed internet to support systems such as financial management, e-procurement, and online tax services.

The government also cited broader indicators of digital growth, including more than 44.3 million active mobile connections, expanding internet access through 4G and emerging 5G trials, and an ICT sector contributing more than 9% to GDP. Officials said hosting the summit should strengthen engagement between policymakers and innovators and raise Uganda’s profile as an ICT investment destination.

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UNCTAD to examine AI and geopolitical shifts in global investment

The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) is convening an expert meeting to examine how geopolitical tensions, strategic competition, and rising AI-related investment are reshaping international production and global foreign direct investment.

According to the concept note, firms are operating in a more fragmented and politically influenced environment, where cross-border investment decisions are increasingly shaped not only by efficiency and market access, but also by concerns such as supply-chain resilience, technological security, and exposure to changing trade barriers.

The note also links fast-growing investment in AI and digital infrastructure to industrial policy priorities and national security concerns. It says these pressures are contributing to wider shifts in corporate behaviour, including stronger interest in geopolitically aligned and intraregional markets, intensifying competition in strategically important industries, and faster supply-chain restructuring.

UNCTAD says the meeting aims to clarify the scale and nature of these changes, assess what they mean for developing economies, and identify policy considerations for international dialogue. It also points to a more fragmented global investment landscape in which governments are relying more heavily on industrial policy, screening mechanisms, and security-related measures.

Member states are invited to submit short expert papers in advance of the session. The meeting is open to all UNCTAD member States, while international organisations, academia, research institutions, and private-sector participants may attend as observers. The session will be held in person, with a live audio stream available to registered participants.

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Peacebuilding and AI in focus at UNSSC webinar series

The United Nations System Staff College has highlighted growing interest across the UN and the wider peacebuilding community in how artificial intelligence is shaping conflict prevention, arguing that the technology can support peace efforts but cannot replace human judgement, diplomacy, and oversight.

The reflection draws on a three-part webinar series launched by UNSSC to examine AI governance, field use, and ethical risks in peacebuilding. According to the text, one message ran across all three discussions: AI may offer real value for conflict prevention, but its role should remain supportive rather than substitutive.

The piece argues that AI is already being used across the UN peace and security pillar and should be introduced only where it improves effectiveness, such as by handling repetitive tasks and allowing staff to focus on analysis, leadership, and political judgement. It also stresses that principles long associated with peacebuilding, including trust and ‘do no harm’, should apply across the full AI stack, from data and infrastructure to model design and deployment.

Examples cited from the webinar series include the use of augmented intelligence in early warning systems, where machine learning is combined with human contextual knowledge, and an AI-enabled WhatsApp chatbot used in Yemen to broaden participation in mediation, particularly among women and young people. The text presents these cases as evidence that AI can extend the reach of peacebuilding tools without replacing practitioners.

The final part of the reflection focuses on governance and ethics. It argues that while ethical AI principles are widely discussed, they need to be translated into practical, context-specific safeguards, especially in conflict settings. It also notes that risks differ across use cases such as early warning, social media monitoring, and mediation support, and says meaningful governance requires input from diplomats, researchers, mediators, and the private sector.

UNSSC says the webinar series drew between 300 and 500 registrants per session, which it presents as evidence of strong demand for more targeted learning on AI and peacebuilding. The college argues that its role should extend beyond convening discussion to turning those debates into practical knowledge for UN practitioners working at the intersection of AI and conflict prevention.

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UNESCO supports Western Balkans regulators on EU digital rules implementation

UNESCO organised a study visit for media regulators from the Western Balkans under an EU-funded project on journalism as a public good. The initiative aimed to support preparation for European rules affecting the information ecosystem.

Participants from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia examined implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA) and the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA). The visit included exchanges with institutions in France and the Netherlands on regulatory approaches.

The Netherlands presented a model based on a risk-based regulatory culture, with separate roles for a Digital Services Coordinator and a media authority. France presented a more integrated structure within a central media regulator, supported by specialised bodies and legislation.

Meetings involved stakeholders, including the House of Representatives of the Netherlands, TikTok, Reporters Without Borders, and UNESCO. Discussions covered platform engagement, regulatory cooperation, and institutional practice.

Participants identified institutional cooperation, technical expertise, and engagement with platforms as key elements of effective implementation. Discussions with Mariya Gabriel also addressed public-interest journalism, platform governance, and regional cooperation to tackle digital risks while safeguarding freedom of expression.

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US Department of Labor launches AI training portal for apprenticeship programmes

The US Department of Labor has launched an AI in Registered Apprenticeship Innovation Portal to support organisations integrating AI training into federally recognised apprenticeship programmes.

The Department said the platform brings together resources to support AI literacy and structured AI-focused training pathways across sectors.

The portal is organised around three main areas: AI skills integration in apprenticeships, industry-specific training modules, and pathways for embedding AI into both new and existing programmes.

The Department said training content spans sectors including healthcare, finance, education, construction, advanced manufacturing and technology.

Alongside the portal, the Department has introduced an AI Literacy Framework to guide employers, educators and training providers. The Department said the AI Literacy Framework outlines core competencies, including understanding AI capabilities and limits, using tools in daily tasks, and assessing output accuracy.

A separate initiative, the Make America AI-Ready programme, delivers a free text-message-based AI course aimed at workers without reliable internet access.

Officials said organisations can join existing apprenticeships, create new AI-focused schemes, or update current programmes to include AI skills. The project aligns with wider federal strategies to accelerate AI education and workforce readiness across the United States.

Why does it matter?

The initiative signals a structural shift in how governments are preparing the workforce for AI integration, embedding practical skills into formal apprenticeship systems rather than treating them as optional add-ons.

It also broadens access to AI literacy by targeting both high-growth industries and digitally excluded workers, helping reduce future gaps in productivity and employability.

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UN-organised event to address challenges in government AI capacity-building

A side event during the 11th Multi-Stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the SDGs will examine how governments can strengthen internal AI capacity as AI becomes more central to public administration, regulation, and digital development.

The event is being organised by UNU-CPR, UNU-CRIS, UNDP, and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, with support from Japan’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Organisers said governments are facing a dual challenge of regulating AI systems while building internal expertise to understand, manage, and deploy them in the public interest.

The concept note says countries are increasingly creating dedicated AI units, appointing Chief AI Officers, and embedding technical experts in ministries and regulatory bodies, while disparities in access to resources and expertise continue to shape how capacity-building develops across regions.

The event will also address concerns about AI security and misuse of technology. Organisers highlighted risks including misinformation, cyber-enabled manipulation, and automated disinformation campaigns, and said that countries with more limited institutional and technical capacity may face disproportionate exposure.

The discussion is intended to contribute to wider debates on responsible and inclusive AI governance under the Global Digital Compact and the Sustainable Development Goals by identifying institutional models, lessons learned, and opportunities for cross-regional cooperation on building government AI capacity.

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World Economic Forum report highlights growing role of AI in cybersecurity operations

A World Economic Forum white paper (Empowering Defenders: AI for Cybersecurity), developed with KPMG, states that AI is becoming a core capability for modern cybersecurity. The report notes that attackers are using AI to increase speed, scale and sophistication, while defenders are also adopting AI to improve detection, response and resilience.

The report describes how AI is being used across the cybersecurity lifecycle, from cyber governance and risk identification to threat detection, incident response and recovery. Case studies from major organisations highlight applications in phishing detection, vulnerability management, malware analysis, threat intelligence and automated security reviews.

WEF report also states that effective adoption depends on more than technology investment. Organisations need executive support, reliable data, skilled teams, mature infrastructure and clear governance before deploying AI in critical security operations.

The report also highlights the rise of agentic AI, where autonomous systems can detect, coordinate and respond to threats with limited human intervention. It adds that while these systems could help defenders act faster, they may also introduce risks related to accountability, unintended behaviour and over-reliance on automation.

Why does it matter?

The central message of the report is that AI can strengthen cyber defence only when paired with human judgement, structured pilots, continuous monitoring and clear safeguards. Without these foundations, organisations risk creating fragile systems instead of resilient ones.

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UNDP supports AI training for Tajikistan parliament members

The United Nations Development Programme has supported training sessions for members of the Parliament of Tajikistan, focusing on AI and modern digital tools. The initiative aims to strengthen legislative processes and institutional capacity.

Discussions covered AI use in policymaking, legislative analysis and public engagement, alongside topics such as strategic planning and anti corruption measures. The UNDP sessions brought together parliamentarians and staff to share international and national experience.

Officials highlighted that AI can support evidence based decision making and improve efficiency, while requiring attention to transparency, ethics and accountability. Cooperation with UNDP was described as key to adapting global best practices.

The programme includes an ongoing needs assessment to identify priorities for further development and institutional strengthening. The activities are being carried out with UNDP support in Tajikistan.

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