Asian currencies were under pressure last week, with the Japanese yen falling to its lowest in 38 years
Using blockchain for voting capabilities is of interest to many governments. Although few governments have used the technology for elections at a national level, Sierra Leone was the first, and Ukraine conducted a few blockchain pilots for regional elections. And Brazil intends to conduct national referenda using blockchain-enabled voting.
Many governments have announced an intent to store and manage government records on blockchain. The U.S. states of Vermont and Delaware, as well as the city of Dubai, have shown some of the most visible and ambitious efforts on the use of blockchain for government records - primarily property ownership records but also utility bills and permits. The Republic of Georgia's initiative with Bitfury is just one of several efforts aimed at creating blockchain-based land-registry services.
Blockchain-enabled identity and access management (IAM) applications introduce alternative methods to establish trust and resiliency with little reliance on centralized infrastructure. The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has experimented with a digital identity network, effectively delivering a "single sign-on" experience.
Delivering services more effectively to poorly documented populations in need has been a global motivator for many governments. Projects include: the U.N. World Food Programme; the UN Development Program; the U.K. Department for Work and Pensions; and New York City's Department of Homeless Services.
Governments have shown interest in facilitating and encouraging exchange of non-monetary assets - including carbon credits and energy consumption or production - as a way of achieving societal benefits, enabling and inspiring desired behaviors, or reducing friction.
The ability to derive process efficiency from automated acquisition involves the creative application of smart contracts in government. The U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) has announced acquisition proofs of concept using smart contracts to streamline simplified contracting activities.
Software-based wallets allow users to create, store, exchange or manage transactions or data held in blockchain-based platforms. Early offerings seek to give individuals greater control over their data by removing or reducing the ability of authorities to limit or impede users' access.
Decentralised applications, or Dapps, are software applications that enable members of a peer-to-peer network to collaborate and transact. The US Food and Drug Administration has conducted pilots that allow clinical trial medical records to be securely and efficiently exchanged with hospitals.
In large, federated government enterprises, consolidating and reconciling a single version of truth around finances, human resources or supplies can be daunting. Blockchain could be a more cost-effective alternative to more disruptive and intrusive technologies. Instead of getting caught up in the hype, take time to explore blockchain in a structured and objective way, seeking out the use cases that are most relevant to you. While many of the use cases are still nascent, these are the closest to demonstrating some level of maturity and offer government CIOs a tangible opportunity to start small and scale up.
Asian currencies were under pressure last week, with the Japanese yen falling to its lowest in 38 years
The yellow metal rose nearly Dh4 per gram in the last two trading days of the last week
The expat had landed in Dubai when he was just 18 years old
Five survivors had been evacuated as the slide damaged several houses and one bridge
The two learners' creation is available for online purchase, and is being worn by fellow students
The plea would brand the planemaker a convicted felon, and the company would also pay a criminal fine of $243.6 million
Authorities said at least 66 people have died in floods and rain related incidents in Assam since May
Temperatures may reach up to 49℃ in the internal regions