Participation in SRSG Seminar Session
Prof. Allard Duursma and Dr. Sascha Langenbach participated in an annual meeting of Special Representatives of the UN Secretary-General.
In January 2024, Prof. Allard Duursma and Dr. Sascha Langenbach of the GESS Department of ETH Zurich participated in a seminar session of the Special Representatives of the UN Secretary-General (SRSGs) annual meeting held in Thun, Switzerland. The two ETH researchers were invited to join a session on the use of modern data analytics in UN peace operations. In a brief presentation, Dr. Langenbach spoke about areas in which machine learning is likely to help with conflict management in the coming years. This include the processing of satellite images (for instance to help detect conflict damage); faster information retrieval from large text collections (such as UN archives of situation reports); and the monitoring of social media (for instance to help detect misinformation). The ETH researchers then discussed practical barriers that currently limit the adoption of machine-learning tools with mission heads and other peacekeeping professionals.
Key Takeaways
- Machine learning and AI offer a variety of tools that can help UN peacekeepers process the increasing volume and variety of conflict-related data.
- Nevertheless, unlocking this potential is not an isolated technical question, but requires a broader organisational change and ‘digital transformation’ within the UN.
- Several seminar participants remarked upon the need for more regular exchanges between UN professionals and academics on questions surrounding data collection and analysis.
