The US State Department seeks to improve the implementation of Blockchain technology

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That's according to John Sullivan, the US Deputy Secretary of State, called on the State Department and its private sector partners to adopt technology as a way to "advance diplomacy and development objectives" at the [email protected] forum on Tuesday in Washington, DC.

Speaking to an audience consisting of other government agencies, members of the private sector and nonprofit organizations, Sullivan went so far as to suggest that the blockchain could become a key part of the large-scale restructuring of the department proposed by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who leds by the agency.

Tillerson first proposed a redesign that seeks to save up to $ 10 billion over five years, in September. Although Sullivan admitted that the blockchain was not a "panacea" for the agency's problems, he stressed that he was keen to see the technology used to improve internal processes and improve efficiency.

The forum considered numerous ways in which blockchains can improve the basic mandates of agencies, such as managing foreign aid, promoting democracy and improving governance and political institutions in US-allied countries.

With that, Sullivan urged the agency and its supporters to reflect on how technology could be deployed in a diplomatic context to strengthen national security and promote more economic prosperity.

Sullivan also expressed confidence that the blockchain could deal with widespread problems in the field of the spread of foreign aid distribution, such as corruption, fraud and misappropriation of funds. He went on to say that the same problems could be solved not only in the distribution of aid, but also in other areas, such as the elimination of corruption in the control of the government over property registers in the developing countries.

Nevertheless, the State Department’s forum comes amid growing interest from government agencies around the world to understand and use the technology. While some governments have switched to a ban on cryptocurrency and instruments that originated from it, most are taking a more open-minded approach.