UN Roundtable: Digital Sovereignty Key to Financial Inclusion

The United Nations General Assembly roundtable, titled ‘A New Blueprint for Sovereign Sustainable Development,’ brought together 48 global leaders, policymakers, and experts at UN Headquarters in New York on October 22, 2025. This high-level gathering focused on developing inclusive policy frameworks to address critical global challenges including climate resilience, equitable economic growth, and responsible technological innovation. The event represented a significant convergence of international organizations, private sector leaders, and academic institutions united by a shared commitment to sustainable development through dialogue and cooperation.

The distinguished assembly included Tracy Wang, CEO of the Nobel Sustainability Trust Foundation; Sangbu Kim, Vice President for Digital Transformation at The World Bank; Tom Zschach, Chief Innovation Officer at SWIFT; and former Google executives Caroline Yap and Dr. Oliver Zahn. Other notable participants included Dr. Simran Chana from University of Cambridge, Simi Nwogugu of Junior Achievement Africa, and leaders from organizations including the Malala Fund and Council of Global Change. This diverse representation underscored the multifaceted approach required to tackle complex development challenges.

Adrian Wall, Managing Director of the Digital Sovereignty Alliance, moderated the pivotal discussion on ‘Global Digital Identity and Financial Inclusion Protocol,’ which examined digital sovereignty in Africa and the role of blockchain and stablecoins in advancing financial inclusion. The sessions emphasized the fundamental importance of empowering individuals to own and control their personal data, framing data sovereignty not as a technical issue but as a question of human freedom. Wall’s perspective challenged conventional approaches to financial inclusion by insisting that access without understanding and agency falls short of true empowerment.

‘Financial inclusion without financial literacy is a bridge to nowhere. It is access without empowerment,’ Wall stated during the roundtable. ‘True inclusion must be anchored in understanding, agency, and dignity. In the digital age, agency begins with access, and dignity begins with data ownership.’ This perspective reframed the conversation around financial inclusion from merely providing banking services to creating systems that respect individual autonomy and promote genuine economic participation.

The discussion highlighted how emerging technologies like blockchain and Web3 can enable new models of digital identity that return control to individuals rather than institutions. By decentralizing data ownership and creating transparent, immutable records, these technologies offer pathways to financial inclusion that preserve individual sovereignty while expanding access to formal financial systems.

The roundtable specifically examined how blockchain technology and stablecoins could address the financial exclusion affecting 1.7 billion people worldwide. Participants explored how these technologies could lower barriers to entry, reduce transaction costs, and create more resilient financial infrastructure, particularly in developing regions. The focus on Africa’s digital sovereignty highlighted the continent’s potential to leapfrog traditional financial systems and build more inclusive digital economies from the ground up.

The presence of senior leaders from established financial institutions like SWIFT and The World Bank alongside technology innovators signaled a growing recognition that traditional and emerging financial systems must converge to solve global inclusion challenges. This collaborative approach acknowledges that while blockchain and cryptocurrency offer transformative potential, their integration with existing financial infrastructure requires careful coordination and policy development.

The discussions positioned stablecoins as particularly promising tools for financial inclusion, offering the stability of traditional currencies with the accessibility and low-cost transfer capabilities of digital assets. For populations facing currency volatility or limited banking infrastructure, stablecoins could provide a bridge to global financial markets while preserving purchasing power and enabling secure savings.

The Digital Sovereignty Alliance’s participation in this UN roundtable reflects its ongoing mission to advance digital sovereignty, financial inclusivity, and ethical technology adoption globally. Through collaboration with governments, international organizations, and technology innovators, DSA works to shape policy frameworks that protect individual autonomy, enhance national digital resilience, and expand access to technological opportunity.

The roundtable outcomes suggest a growing consensus that sustainable development in the digital age requires rethinking fundamental assumptions about data ownership, financial access, and individual agency. As nations and international organizations develop new policy frameworks, the principles discussed—combining financial access with financial literacy, and technological innovation with ethical considerations—will likely shape the next generation of development initiatives.

The event marked a significant step in mainstreaming discussions about digital sovereignty and blockchain’s role in development, bringing these concepts from technology circles into high-level policy dialogues. With continued collaboration between organizations like DSA, the UN, World Bank, and private sector leaders, the vision of a financially inclusive world where individuals maintain control over their digital identities moves closer to reality.