About UN Secretariat - DPPA
The Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) plays a central role in United Nations efforts to prevent and resolve conflict around the world. The Department of Peace Operations (DPO) is dedicated to assisting the Member States and the Secretary-General in their efforts to maintain international peace and security.Activities by UN Secretariat - DPPA
Diplomatic Pulse
Global Not Applicable
Diplomatic Pulse is a specialized search engine developed by DPPA in partnership with the Qatar Computing Research Institute that aggregates press releases issued by all UN Member States. Press releases are a primary medium for diplomatic signaling, and this tool allows users to quickly see who issued a statement, on what topic, and when.
Results can be filtered using a range of parameters, enabling fast identification of trending themes and Member State positions. Users can also compile selected statements into a summary report. By increasing the visibility of Member State communications, Diplomatic Pulse helps to amplify and equalize diplomatic voices, making international discourse more transparent and accessible to analysts, mediators, and policymakers.
Virtual Reality projects
Global ChadColombiaIraqYemen
DPPA has pioneered work on Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) to enhance situational awareness, advance advocacy, and support decision-making through innovative means allowing for the safe and remote exploration of regional situations in conflict areas.
DPPA produced immersive VR experiences as supplemental material to expand the perspectives available to Security Council members, UN professionals, and Member State representatives who may be prevented from visiting a conflict zone due to the pandemic, safety, or logistical constraints. This work demonstrated the potential of immersive technology to bridge physical distance and improve the quality of information available to decision-makers in peace and security processes.
Exploring the Potential and Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the UN System
Arab States, Latin America and the Caribbean BoliviaPanamaSyriaYemenAs Generative Artificial Intelligence technologies progress, they offer numerous advantages, such as improved knowledge management, enhanced translation capabilities, and efficient content generation. Especially with the release of AI applications such as ChatGPT, Perplexity.ai, and Microsoft Copilot, Generative AI continues to permeate the tools and applications used in the UN’s daily work. To foster greater awareness and capabilities among UN staff regarding both the potential benefits and risks of this technology, DPPA’s Innovation Cell organizes AI Innovation Workshops, including prompt engineering labs and other creative ideation sessions.
Activity Type Research/Reports/AssessmentsPolicy/Regulatory GuidanceAwareness/AdvocacyE-Analytics and Innovation Training
Arab States Qatar
In line with the UN Secretary-General’s Strategy on New Technologies and Data Strategy, and the recent UN 2.0 policy brief, DPPA’s annual E-Analytics and Innovation Course focuses on leveraging exploring innovative approaches in peace and security contexts. It provides an overview of the opportunities and challenges presented by emerging new technologies and equips participants with practical skills and tools to integrate evidence-driven analysis into UN initiatives for conflict prevention, peacemaking, and peacebuilding.
Designing the course to align with DPPA’s mandate and the UN 2.0 vision was instrumental in making project outputs more relevant, actionable, and grounded in institutional priorities. This strategic alignment encouraged participants to approach their prototypes with a focus on cost-efficiency and practicality—an especially important consideration given the current financial constraints.