UNHCR Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions (DHoTS)


Switzerland supports UNHCR’s Digital Hub of Treasury Solutions to create a UN Center of Excellence (CoE) in Geneva. It will facilitate the UN System’s and its partners’ access to global financial ecosystems and markets. It will trigger collaboration opportunities for advancing new cutting-edge capabilities and technologies, support preparedness and readiness in humanitarian emergencies for the delivery of aid assistance and financial inclusion and reduce financial transaction costs.

Región/País Tema Período Presupuesto
A nivel mundial
Asistencia humanitaria y RRC
Eficacia humanitaria
01.02.2024 - 31.01.2026
CHF  1’000’000
Contexto With its global presence and footprint, UHCR processes payments in 137 countries and around 100 different currencies to the persons it serves, including refugees, internally displaced persons, stateless persons, and to host community members. UNHCR also makes daily payments to partners and vendors, including global staff payments. UNHCR’s and other UN entities’ ability to process payments entail complex and multi-layered systems and processes. The UN system transaction costs of yearly 60 billion USD transactions may be reduced by 1-5% through DHoTS.
Objetivos The UN system and its partners are more responsive, efficient, rapid, secure, traceable, and accountable to deliver overall more humanitarian financial aid to the most vulnerable people in need.
Grupos destinarios
  • The immediate target group is composed by UNHCR and its UN Partner Agencies (so far UNICC, UNDP, IOM, UNFPA).
  • The second layer refers to their partners performing the financial transactions (Banks, financial intermediaries).
  • The third and ultimate layer are the beneficiaries and persons of concern of the UN system who overall receive more and better financial support.
Efectos a medio plazo

Outcome 1: The UN and partners’ financial delivery modality is better coordinated.

Outcome 2: The DHoTS partners are better prepared, responsive, efficient and rapid and save substantial costs in providing humanitarian aid.

Resultados

Resultados previstos:  

1.1 Establish a UN Center of Excellence

1.2 Create a Project Management function

1.3 Establish a unified Governance Structure

2.1 Provide an integrated UN Financial Gateway payment infrastructure


Resultados de las fases anteriores:   The DHoTS was launched by UNHCR in 2022. It provided innovative technology and payment applications. They are currently fully implemented and live, notably in Ukraine, with payments through blockchain technology. The second phase intends to consolidate the achievements by involving more UN and other partners, expand the financial flows through DHoTS and further innovate the tools and processes through a Center of Excellence.


Dirección / Officina Federal responsable COSUDE
Contrapartes del proyecto Contraparte del contrato
Sector privado
Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU)
  • Sector privado suizo
  • Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
  • Malik El Bay, Dezentrum GmbH (Backstopper)


Coordinación con otros proyectos y actores
  • UNHCR Core Contributions, in particular related to resource mobilization and better coordination of the UN System, in particular ITU as well as the ITU-UNICEF GIGA initiative
  • Swiss Fintech sector, including academic and private sector partners
Presupuesto Fase en curso Presupuesto suizo CHF    1’000’000 Presupuesto actual suizo ya emitido CHF    605’625 Presupuesto inclusive contrapartes del proyecto CHF    1’950’000 Total del proyecto desde la primera fase Presupuesto suizo CHF   6’371 Presupuesto inclusive contrapartes del proyecto CHF   1’006’371
Fases del proyecto Fase 1 01.02.2024 - 31.01.2026   (Fase en curso)