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About OICT

The Office of Information and Communications Technology (OICT) enables a better, safer, more sustainable future through innovative technology. OICT is responsible for defining strategic direction for ICT in the Secretariat. It provides oversight of ICT programmes, systems, applications and decision-making. The office is committed to ensuring colleagues all over the world have the necessary ICT tools to succeed in their respective mandates.

Our Vision

  • to be solution partners and agents of transformation;
  • to be catalysts for innovative technology solutions for organizational transformation;
  • to ensure solutions are agile, simple, reliable, innovative and secured;
  • to stay client-centric, solution-oriented and business-driven; and
  • to lead the UN through a digital journey to support the core work of the UN.

Overall Focus

Flexible and modern ICT is critical as the Organization moves towards a UN 2.0. The Office’s three key strategic goals, therefore, are:  

  • Accelerate Innovation: to provide access to frontier technologies like artificial intelligence and blockchain that UN entities can use.  
  • Build Cybersecurity Resiliency: to continue building up a robust cybersecurity approach and operational resilience. ​ 
  • Enable Digital Transformation: to strengthen project and programme management, ensuring all ICT and data-related projects are implemented following prevailing industry methodologies.   

A Technology Strategy for the Future UN

The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy (A/69/517), which identified objectives, including strengthening cybersecurity and using technology to support innovation throughout the Secretariat, concluded in 2020, created a foundation to enable the UN to deliver on its mandates. 

The COVID-19 pandemic and other global challenges have made it clear that the way the United Nations and its personnel work has changed profoundly since the strategy was adopted in 2015; our reliance on technology has increased greatly. 

OICT collaborated with main UN Headquarters departments, offices away from Headquarters and the field to develop a new multi-year ICT strategy that will enable the UN to achieve its mandates and provide the tools needed to do our jobs effectively in these ever-changing times. 

The strategy will align with UN initiatives and frameworks, including:

Our Leadership

The Office is led by Mr. Bernardo Mariano Jr., Chief Information Technology Officer (CITO) and Assistant Secretary-General (ASG). All Secretariat entities report to the CITO on issues relating to all ICT-related activities, resource management, standards, security, architecture, policies, and guidance. The Office is headquartered in New York City and has a dual reporting line to the UN Department of Operational Support (DOS) and the UN Department of Management Strategy, Policy and Compliance (DMSPC).

Unite - a Global ICT Brand

"Unite" is Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for a stronger, more effective United Nations. A key component of the strategy is uniting as a global workforce, to deliver enterprise solutions and standards.

We believe that by empowering United Nations personnel with modern tools, streamlined ICT processes and fostering global collaboration, we can bring about significant technological improvements that benefit the entire world.

Key Resources