The Digital Twin Service (DTS) at UNGSC is enhancing how the United Nations plans, manages, and optimizes operations across field missions by creating dynamic, geolocated replicas of real-world environments, enriched with Internet of Things (IoT) and operational data, as well as field observations. This service enables advanced 3D visualization, Augmented Reality / Virtual Reality simulations, and predictive analytics. DTS supports UN Maps, Smart Camp, and FRIM programmes, facilitating smarter camp design, resource allocation, and security planning, advancing the UN's digital transformation goals.
Complementing this innovation is the Digital Twin Community of Practice facilitated by UNGSC — a network that brings together field offices to exchange experience, align common interests and skills, and build collective learning around shared technical practices. This accelerates the adoption of digital twin solutions in missions such as MONUSCO, UNMISS, UNIFIL, and UNAMA. In Soth Soudan (UNMISS), a digital twin of Bor Camp developed under the Smar Camp Programme supports operational planning and IoT services as well as security-related considerations—allowing teams to assess layouts, resource management, and risks before acting on the ground. In Somalia (UNSOS), digital twins of Mogadishu and Camp Jowhar contribute to security-training scenarios, offering a controlled environment in which personnel can review infrastructure and operational factors ahead of deployments. In DRC (MONUSCO), digital twin of RVA Camp in Goma contribute to security monitoring scenarios, offering a view of wicked points of the compound to evaluate operational measures ahead of trespassing incidents. These early applications reflect how DTS capabilities are becoming practical tools for missions navigating complex operational landscapes, improving both readiness and situational awareness.
Held from 17 to 21 November, the 2nd Digital Twin Workshop bolstered these efforts by introducing hands-on training, reality capture techniques, and governance frameworks. The focus was on scaling prototypes into mission-ready solutions. During the workshop, about 100 participants from field missions, academia, and government and private sectors —including the UK National Digital Twin Programme and the Cartographic Institute of Valencia—exchanged experiences and demonstrated concrete use cases, contributing to shared technical understanding. The workshop highlighted how these initiatives are giving missions a clearer view of their operational environments, allowing teams to work from shared, geolocated representations when preparing activities on the ground.
Contact ungsc-csds-vmu@un.org to learn more.
