Discover UN open source initiatives driving collaboration, innovation, and impact across the globe. From hackathons to capacity-building programs, these projects show how open solutions can address pressing challenges and support sustainable development.
Open Source Ecosystem Enabler (OSEE)
The Open Source Ecosystem Enabler (OSEE) is a flagship initiative led by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Bureau for Development in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), funded by the European Commission under the Global Gateway programme.
Running from September 2023 to February 2027 with EUR 3 million in funding, OSEE supports countries in the Global South to establish Open Source Program Offices (OSPOs) and strengthen national digital capacity.
OSEE helps governments use open source to advance digital sovereignty, innovation, and inclusive development, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals through Digital Public Goods and Digital Public Infrastructure.
The initiative operates through three pillars:
- Capacity Building
- Community empowerment
- Institutionalization of OSPOs.
Pilot countries: Kenya and Trinidad and Tobago.
Affiliate countries include Botswana, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, Tanzania, Zambia, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Egypt, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Samoa, Kazakhstan, and Moldova.
GenAI for Good Challenge
The GenAI for Good Challenge is a global innovation initiative led by the International Telecommunication Union Bureau for Development (ITU) in partnership with IEEE Humanitarian Technologies. It engages developers worldwide to create open source generative AI solutions for public-sector needs in developing countries, using the GENIE.AI framework.
Since its launch, 318 teams from 79 countries have worked on real-world prototypes in health, agriculture, and climate resilience, with opportunities to pilot solutions in Bangladesh, Lesotho, and The Gambia. All code is released under open source licenses, contributing to a global ecosystem of AI for public good. Read more
Trinidad and Tobago Open Source Programme Office
The Trinidad and Tobago Open Source Programme Office supports the Government in strengthening digital public infrastructure through the structured adoption of Free and Open Source Software.
Implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in partnership with the Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence and The University of the West Indies, the OSPO institutionalises open source practices across the public service. The initiative promotes digital sovereignty, reduces dependency on proprietary vendors, improves interoperability across government systems, and builds local technical capacity. Read more
Objectives
The project aims to:
• Establish a functioning OSPO with clear governance and mandate
• Develop open source policy and implementation guidelines
• Build technical capacity across Ministries, Departments and Agencies
• Support pilot projects and proofs of concept
• Create a roadmap for scaling open source adoption
Expected Impact
By embedding open source into national digital transformation efforts, the OSPO strengthens resilience, transparency, and long term sustainability of public digital services while supporting inclusive and locally driven innovation.
Mind the Open Source Gap
Empowering UN Staff with Open Source Skills
Mind the Open Source Gap is designed for all UN personnel interested in learning about open source, regardless of technical background. The initiative is open to anyone who wants to better understand open source and its role in the software ecosystem, including developers, managers, and non-technical professionals.
We are pleased to announce that this virtual workshop is now open to UN personnel system-wide.
Open Source for Sustainable Development Goals (OSS4SDG)
Driving SDG Solutions through Open Source
To tackle pressing global challenges, the United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT) has partnered with the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Informatics (DIGIT) on the Open Source Software for Sustainable Development Goals (OSS4SDG) initiative. Through a series of hackathons, this initiative harnesses open-source tools to address specific Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). Read more
Reboot the Earth
Innovating to Combat Climate Change
Reboot the Earth is a global hackathon that brings together young coders, innovators, and climate advocates to design digital solutions addressing the climate crisis. Hosted by the United Nations Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT), and co-hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Digital Public Goods Alliance, the event provides a platform for collaboration, innovation, and real-world impact.
The hackathon invites participants to improve existing technologies or develop entirely new software that tackles pressing environmental challenges, particularly those aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Reboot the Earth emphasizes inclusivity and encourages youth from diverse backgrounds to contribute their skills toward building solutions for a sustainable future.
Global Reach and Past Events
Reboot the Earth 2025 focused on Agriculture and AI, and took place in multiple locations worldwide between April and November 2025:
- Hyderabad, India (23–24 April)
- Kigali, Rwanda (7–8 May)
- New York City, USA (29–30 May)
- Rabat, Morocco (25–26 June)
- Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (9–10 August)
- Doha, Qatar (2–4 October)
- Rome, Italy (13–14 October)
- Silicon Valley, USA (7–8 November)
Earlier editions, including Reboot the Ocean and health-focused challenges by WHO and UNAIDS, demonstrate the hackathon’s history of addressing urgent global issues through technology, youth engagement, and multi-stakeholder collaboration.
Support and Impact for Participants
Winning teams receive six months of coaching from UN partners to scale their solutions, along with certificates recognizing their contributions. The Reboot Accelerator continues to foster innovation by enabling crowd-sourced solutions, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and knowledge sharing among participants and organizations worldwide.
Reboot the Earth 2026 is now underway! Participants will once again have the opportunity to collaborate, innovate, and develop impactful solutions to help combat climate change, continuing the tradition of empowering youth to take action for a sustainable future.