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When nations emerge from conflict, the first images we see are bulldozers clearing rubble and cranes lifting steel. Rebuilding homes, schools and hospitals is essential, but peace cannot rest on bricks alone. Recovery must also strengthen trust, resilience and opportunity. That is why digital innovation must now be seen as part of the blueprint for peace.

At last week’s Diplomatic Connect in Riyadh, hosted by the Digital Cooperation Organization and the Embassy of the State of Kuwait, ambassadors, policymakers and innovators gathered to ask a vital question: How can digital tools help societies endure crises and recover stronger? The answers, drawn from real-world cases, point to a new foundation for stability.

When war struck Ukraine, officials raced to protect the state itself. Within weeks, 161 critical registers, from tax records to healthcare systems, were migrated to secure cloud environments abroad. Universities continued teaching, banks stayed open and more than 20 million citizens used the Diia smartphone app to access identity, payments and emergency benefits. Even amid bombardment, the digital backbone of the nation endured.

In Jordan, blockchain-based wallets now deliver aid transparently to more than 100,000 Syrian refugees. With no cash to steal or divert, assistance flows directly to families, preserving dignity as well as security. In Rwanda and Pakistan, secure digital identities underpin access to healthcare, welfare and education, enabling millions to rebuild their lives with confidence. These examples prove that digital resilience can make recovery faster, fairer and more inclusive.

The lessons are clear. Continuity of government and society must come first because, when core services remain available in crisis, confidence endures. Collaboration across borders is also essential, since no nation can build resilience alone. Preparation matters too, because systems must be tested before they are needed. And proven frameworks already exist, from Estonia’s data embassy to Pakistan’s universal ID system, which countries should adapt rather than improvising in a moment of crisis.

Yet technology alone is not enough. Systems must be designed for trust and inclusion. Privacy by design protects the vulnerable, universal and secure identities widen access, auditability reduces corruption and transparency ensures accountability. If digital tools are built on these foundations, they reinforce the social contract rather than weaken it.

If digital resilience is embedded in reconstruction, societies can emerge stronger, more inclusive and more secure. 

Lord Ed Vaizey

This is why international cooperation is vital. The Digital Cooperation Organization, representing 16 member states and more than 600 million citizens, is uniquely placed to harmonize standards, promote shared platforms and pool resources. Inclusive digital connectivity across its members could unlock trillions in additional output by the end of this decade. More importantly, it can provide stability, allowing institutions to remain credible, services to continue to function and citizens to feel seen by their state even in the hardest of times.

Today, more than 122 million people are displaced worldwide. Wars, disasters and economic shocks continue to disrupt lives. If recovery only replaces what was lost, past vulnerabilities will return. But if digital resilience is embedded in reconstruction, societies can emerge stronger, more inclusive and more secure.

Picture a refugee mother who can prove her identity on a basic phone, redeem a payment nearby and book a clinic appointment without queuing all day. Picture a mine clearance team guided by artificial intelligence maps that help families return to their fields faster and safer. These are not abstract images, they already exist. Our task is to make them the norm rather than the exception.

Digital technologies cannot prevent war but they can ensure that when crisis comes, society does not collapse. They can preserve records, sustain services, protect dignity and accelerate recovery. To achieve this, we must plan together, build together and hold ourselves to the standards we set.

The lesson is simple. Digital innovation, backed by international cooperation, must be at the heart of recovery. That is how we can build resilience that lasts and peace that endures.

• Lord Ed Vaizey is a former UK Minister for Culture and Digital Economy.