News Updates

Open Source United (OSU) is pleased to announce a significant milestone in advancing open source adoption across the United Nations system. OSU Co-Chairs Omar Mohsine and Mostafa Elkordy recently delivered a comprehensive briefing to the Digital Technology Network (DTN) — the body comprising all Chief Information Officers and Chief Technology Officers across the UN System — on how opensource adoption can serve as a decisive and strategic response to the growing risks of vendor dependency.

The presentation opened with a deep dive into recent market signals and industry trends, illustrating how organizations of comparable scale and mandate have successfully leveraged opensource strategies to reduce proprietary lock-in, improve technological sovereignty, and drive significant cost efficiencies. Case studies and real-world examples demonstrated that a deliberate and structured transition to open source is not only viable — it is increasingly essential.

The OS 5% Commitment

Among the most significant recommendations put forward was a bold and concrete pledge: the OS 5% Commitment. OSU called on every United Nations organization to dedicate at least 5% of their total workforce to operate on open source alternatives to common Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions. This commitment is intended to act as a catalyst — creating real operational experience, building institutional knowledge, and demonstrating the tangible benefits of open source at scale.

To complement this commitment, OSU also recommended the launch of a comprehensive system-wide survey to identify and prioritize the solutions and tools that currently present the greatest risks — those with little to no viable exit strategy — as the logical starting point for this transition.

An 18-Month Roadmap for Transformation

OSU presented a structured and ambitious 18-month roadmap organized around five strategic tracks, each designed to deliver concrete initiatives and measurable outcomes:

▸ Open Source AI Standards & Governance: Establishing frameworks, policies, and guidelines to ensure responsible and interoperable AI development across the UN system.

▸ Sovereign Digital Infrastructure: Building the technical foundation for UN organizations to own and operate their core digital capabilities independently.

▸ Community Engagement: Cultivating an active, collaborative, and informed open source community across the UN system and partner organizations.

▸ OSPO-in-a-Box: Providing a ready-to-deploy Open Source Programme Office toolkit for UN entities at any stage of their open source journey.

▸ Talent & Capacity Development: Equipping UN staff with the skills, knowledge, and confidence to work effectively in open source environments.

SPOTLIGHT: Open Sovereign Agent Reference Architecture (OSARA)

Among the initiatives announced, one stands out as a landmark contribution to the field: the Open Sovereign Agent Reference Architecture (OSARA). OSARA is a pioneering framework designed to guide the development and deployment of sovereign AI agents grounded in open source principles. It will be released for peer and public review in the coming days, and OSU invites the global open source and digital governance communities to engage, contribute, and shape its evolution.

Gratitude and Looking Ahead

OSU extends its deepest gratitude to all Open Source United active members whose tireless contributions, expertise, and collaborative spirit made this briefing possible. This is a community achievement, and every voice that shaped our recommendations deserves recognition.

We are proud to report that DTN members and leadership were open, engaged, and genuinely supportive of the initiatives presented. Their receptiveness signals a meaningful shift in institutional readiness, and it gives OSU great confidence in the journey ahead.

It would not be accurate to describe the session as without challenge — DTN members raised several probing and difficult questions for which we did not have immediate answers. We welcome that. These are precisely the kinds of hard questions that a community of practice is built to address, and OSU commits to working through them rigorously and transparently over time.

15 May 2026 was a good day for the open source world. And we are just getting started

The DTN Open Source Community of Practice Virtual Retreat (April 20–21), held virtually over two half days, brought together the community members to align on priorities, strengthen governance, and define the next phase of the initiative.

The retreat was designed as a working session focused on decision making, collaboration, and planning the next phase. Across both days, community members engaged in discussions, presentations, and interactive sessions aimed at advancing the Open Source United ecosystem.

Day 1 focused on showcasing progress and establishing a foundation for alignment. The session opened with welcome remarks and strategic framing, including opening remarks from Dejan Jakovljevic, Chief Information Officer and Director, Digital FAO and Agroinformatics, followed by a live demonstration of the Open Source United catalogue and platform.

A central component of the day was the introduction of the Project Review Group (PRG). Discussions addressed its mandate, governance structure, and selection criteria. Participants then collaborated to identify potential members and define additional roles and responsibilities.

The afternoon sessions focused on participants pitching new stream ideas such as Open Source Software Supply Chain and contributing to a growing pipeline of initiatives.

Day 2 opened with a recap of Day 1, reinforcing key decisions and outstanding items before moving into deeper discussions.

A dedicated session on Sovereign Agent Reference Architecture (OSARA) provided a deeper look at the architecture, with participants offering feedback and helping define its role within the broader Open Source United ecosystem.

Building on this, participants worked to finalize the strategic tracks, confirming priority areas, and refining their scope.

The session then transitioned into the final round of participant pitches. Contributors presented additional stream proposals and clarifications, leading into a structured voting process. Through this process, new streams were selected, and stream leads were identified, establishing clear ownership and accountability.

Following the selection, newly identified leads shared their initial commitments and outlined next steps, including coordination and key milestones ahead of the in-person DTN Open Source Community of Practice Retreat in Luxembourg.

The retreat concluded with alignment on a publication plan, including the announcement of PRG members and catalogue-related communications. Final discussions also confirmed key timelines and next milestones, ensuring continuity beyond the retreat.

More updates will be shared as implementation progresses.

The first edition of the UN Open Source Week Advisory Group was launched this past week, uniting key agencies and offices across the United Nations. UN Open Source Week 2026 will take place from 22 to 26 June 2026 at the United Nations Headquarters under the theme “Forging the Future of Digital Cooperation.”

The meeting brought together representatives from UN agencies, offices, and partner institutions to coordinate program contributions in direct support of the Global Digital Compact (GDC). Senior UN leadership highlighted the growing importance of open source technologies in building digital public infrastructure, supporting innovation, and advancing international cooperation on emerging technologies, including AI. Convened by the Office of Information and Communication Technology (OICT) and the Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies (ODET), UN Open Source Week is one of the leading global forums for global open source collaboration, providing a global platform for governments, UN agencies, private sector entities, open source communities, and civil society organizations to share knowledge, showcase successful use cases and solutions, generate new partnerships, and bridge digital divides.

Last year’s event drew over 1,000 participants from 75 countries, with 150+ speakers and 45 sessions, supported by more than 100 partners. The convening was co-hosted by several Member States, demonstrating growing global interest in open source collaboration. This year builds on this by scaling UN Member State ownership, expanding the scope to AI, and closely adhering to GDC implementation.

Representatives from UNDP, UNICEF, ITU, and UNU shared their experience hosting sessions in previous years, covering topics such as digital infrastructure safeguards, humanitarian applications of open source, and data protection. Advisory Group members were invited to propose session topics, nominate speakers, and suggest challenges and topics for the UN Tech Over Hackathon and Edit-A-Thon events. A follow-up meeting is planned for 28 May 2026 to finalize preparations.

UN Open Source Week continues to advance open collaboration and translate global digital commitments into practical action