In New York this week
The United Nations Open Source Week 2025, scheduled from June 16 to 20 in New York, will bring together governments, developers, and civil society groups to explore how open-source technologies can be utilised to build and enhance digital public infrastructure.
Co-hosted by the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies and the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology, the event will be held at the UN headquarters. It will feature discussions, workshops, and hackathons centred on digital development and international collaboration.
The forum forms part of the UN’s broader initiative to promote inclusive digital ecosystems and reinforce digital sovereignty, particularly in low- and middle-income nations. More than 100 countries are expected to participate, alongside representatives from academia, the private sector, and development agencies.
Digital public infrastructure, including digital IDs, payment systems, and open data standards, will be a primary focus. Organisers will argue that open-source tools can help reduce costs, enhance transparency, and expedite deployment in settings with limited resources.
A regional policy advisor notes that Gulf countries are increasingly turning to open-source frameworks to localise innovation and safeguard data. However, concerns will remain over regulatory gaps, limited technical capacity, and potential digital exclusion in underserved regions.
A key feature of the week is the UN Tech Over Hackathon, where participants will develop tools for public health, environmental monitoring, and civic engagement. Teams from African and Middle Eastern universities, including the American University of Beirut, will participate.
UN officials will emphasise that open-source collaboration is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through scalable and cost-effective services. Still, they will acknowledge the geopolitical and economic obstacles to global digital cooperation, particularly with rising control over internet infrastructure in some countries.
Organisations like the Linux Foundation, UNICEF, and the Open Source Initiative will lead sessions on the ethics and governance of open-source adoption in the public sector, covering licensing and inclusion.
For countries in the Middle East and North Africa, the digital infrastructure agenda will align with national strategies for economic diversification and digital modernisation. Experts will warn, however, that without harmonised regional frameworks, siloed projects could limit progress.
They will also point out that while the benefits of open-source solutions are well understood, consistent political and financial backing will be required to make these systems sustainable.
Cloudera role
Cloudera is one of the major technology firms participating in the event. The company will use the event to present its hybrid data platform, designed to support digital transformation across public and private cloud environments. Cloudera will highlight use cases in fraud detection, smart city infrastructure, and cybersecurity, with a focus on the Middle East and African markets.
The company will also promote its artificial intelligence and machine learning tools, stating that they can improve the efficiency of public services. Cloudera’s involvement will reflect a larger shift in which private sector firms are seen as vital partners in building open, secure, and interoperable digital systems.
UN Open Source Week 2025 will conclude on June 20, with sessions on governance, digital public goods, and the role of technology in the upcoming Summit of the Future in September.
Image: The United Nations Open Source Week 2025 is co-hosted by the UN Office for Digital and Emerging Technologies and the UN Office of Information and Communications Technology. Credit: UN
