
OECD Blockchain Policy Forum — Day One Round-Up — 4 September Paris
by Dr. Jane Thomason, Shyft advisor
At a watershed Global Forum convened by the OECD, 1,000 people from 70 countries converged to have the first serious global conversation about Blockchain and its potential, risks and opportunities. It was a very different crowd from the usual Blockchain Conference — more suits, less crypto-bling and a serious contemplation of what a digital future means for the world.
The plenary was moderated with panache by Anne McElvoy, Editor of the Economist, who I am told has been writing about Blockchain for six years — so a true veteran!

In the opening address the Secretary General of the OECD, Angel Gurria posed the question “How can Blockchain contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable economy?” theme which was constantly referred to during the day. Three Heads of State, demonstrated the newfound influence of small states in the digital age. Prime Minister of Mauritius, Pravind Jugnauth, spoke of how Mauritius plans to get the maximum benefit of decentralized data in the 4th industrial revolution. Prime Minister of Serbia, Ana Brnabic powerfully outlined her digital ambitions for Serbia, to achieve GDP growth and to become a top 5 country in Blockchain technology. Finally the Premier of Bermuda David Burt, aside from entertaining the crowd with promising ‘bad actors’ a stay in a Bermuda jail with sea views — made the most memorable and promising quote of the day: “A future owned by no one, controlled by no one but benefitting everyone.”
“A future owned by no one, controlled by no one but benefitting everyone.” — Premier of Bermuda, David Burt

A series of high quality panels covered blockchain and the new economy, cybersecurity, taxation, self sovereign identity, fight against financial crimes, privacy and building a new global policy environment for digital financial assets.
A few key takeaways:
- Technology is moving faster than international institutions and regulators, and governments are turning for advice instead, to a new breed of Blockchain thought leaders to help them prepare for the digital future
- Blockchain will make governments more accountable and as Prime Minister Brnabic said “Civil servants need to relax and serve the people”!
- Citizens will appreciate the benefits of Blockchain when it makes their lives easier
- There will be multiple competitive Blockchains with different attributes or elements
- Arunma Oteh, Vice President and Treasurer of the World Bank stated unequivocally that global policy makers need to be at the centre of blockchain and leadership is needed at the top. She also emphasised education — education — education — coding at an early age — education in jobs — out of job transition to how to provide access and reskilling to train on line and in new ways
- Emerging economies are moving against the tide — the inimitable Lord Desai of the London Scholl of Economics pointed out that the UK Government has said it was too expensive to issue national identity cards, and contrasted that with the Government of India which has issued ID cards for 1 billion people! He also pointed out than every technology is labour displacing but not economically unprogressive.
An impressive start to a well-overdue conversation between international institutions, governments and the Blockchain industry on how to establish the kind of Hyper-Co-Collaboration (HC2 ) that is needed for the new digital economy.
This piece was originally published by Dr. Jane Thomason on LinkedIn.
To learn more about the OECD Blockchain Policy Forum, visit: http://www.oecd.org/finance/oecd-blockchain-policy-forum-2018.htm. Following OECD Blockchain Policy Forum remotely? Check out the event live stream, brought to you by Shyft: https://ocde.streamakaci.com/blockchain/
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