Safeguarding Digital Public Infrastructure: A Global Imperative for Sustainable Development

Safeguarding Digital Public Infrastructure: A Global Imperative for Sustainable Development

As digital public infrastructure (DPI) becomes central to how governments deliver services and protect rights, the global community is focusing on ensuring these systems are safe, inclusive, and rights-respecting. DPI, including digital IDs, payment systems, and data exchanges, can accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as reducing poverty, promoting inclusion, and strengthening institutions.

Without adequate safeguards, DPI can increase risks like exclusion, surveillance, and cyber threats. To address this, the United Nations launched the Universal DPI Safeguards Framework in 2024 as part of the Global Digital Compact. The Framework outlines 13 key risks across the DPI lifecycle and offers over 300 recommendations based on principles like transparency, inclusion, and accountability.

It directly links DPI to the SDGs: digital ID supports legal identity (SDG 16.9), digital payments improve social protection (SDG 1), and data systems enhance governance (SDG 17). But these benefits depend on trust, responsible implementation, and inclusive design that prioritizes equity and fairness.

The Framework’s creation was supported by the International Organizations Consultative Group (IOCG), coordinated by the UN Under-Secretary-General and Special Envoy for Digital and Emerging Technologies. Among its active members is the United Nations University Operating Unit on Policy-Driven Electronic Governance (UNU-EGOV), which contributed research and policy expertise to its design.

As countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and beyond build their DPI from the ground up, there is a critical opportunity to design systems that are interoperable not only within national borders but across regions. Regional interoperability enabled by shared standards, open protocols, and coordinated policy frameworks can enhance cross-border services, data flows, and economic integration. It can also strengthen collective resilience by reducing dependency on fragmented or siloed systems.

Equally important is the principle of digital sovereignty. Emerging DPI ecosystems must reflect local governance values, cultural norms, and societal priorities. This means ensuring that national actors retain meaningful control over critical infrastructure, data governance, and the direction of digital development. When digital sovereignty is aligned with inclusive design and regional cooperation, it empowers countries to build DPI that is both contextually relevant and globally connected.

UNU-EGOV continues to support the Framework’s rollout, offering insights into national adoption, benchmarking, and monitoring efforts. Its ongoing role underscores the importance of academic input and multistakeholder collaboration in shaping future-ready digital systems. As part of the International Organizations Consultative Group (IOCG), UNU-EGOV also contributes to training initiatives and helps countries adapt the safeguards to their specific governance needs and development goals.

The future of DPI must balance innovation with inclusion and accountability. The Universal DPI Safeguards Framework helps ensure digital transformation strengthens rights and sustainable development. With joint efforts, the global community can build a secure, trusted DPI that leaves no one behind.