Statement by Ms. Neishanta Benn, Minister Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Guyana to the UN at the Arria-Formula Meeting on “Harnessing safe, inclusive, trustworthy AI for the maintenance of international peace and security”

Thank you, Chair,

Guyana welcomes the convening of this Arria-formula meeting focused on “Harnessing safe, inclusive and trustworthy artificial intelligence for the maintenance of international peace and security”. I thank Mr. Mastrogeorgiou, Dr. Afina and Ms. Scaddan for their briefings.

The artificial intelligence field is rapidly advancing and holds both the potential for sustainable development and significant risks. The opportunities presented by AI must be harnessed, while the risks must be mitigated.

This can be made possible through robust governance frameworks in line with international law, a point reiterated in the General Assembly resolutions on the topic, in the Global Digital Compact and in the final report of the Secretary-General’s High Level Advisory Body on AI. Guyana believes that such initiatives help to pave the way for ensuring that AI is used in a responsible manner and for the benefit of all humankind.

Chair, co-Chairs,

In addressing the guiding questions, I offer the following points:

First, in supporting the maintenance of international peace and security, it is critical to ensure that AI technology is developed and utilized in a safe and ethical manner. Open AI systems allow for enhanced accessibility, inclusivity, collaboration among stakeholders, and support the advancement of the sustainable development goals, including in the areas of healthcare, education, and the environment. These systems can provide opportunities for bridging digital gaps between developed and developing countries and for exchanging knowledge and experiences. However, to ensure responsible use of AI through these systems, transparency, accountability, and human oversight and control should be prioritised.

Open AI systems should also be safe, secure, and reliable. Once these elements are incorporated into open AI systems, the risk of misuse can be reduced, creating a more stable and secure global environment.

Second, the UN, including the Security Council, has a role in leveraging the responsible use of AI to advance international peace and security. The UN has already begun to address this topic, including through the Global Digital Compact, the establishment of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Body on AI, and the ongoing process to establish an independent scientific panel and a global dialogue on AI. Complementary to this, the Security Council, through its peacekeeping missions, can utilize AI systems to ensure the safety and protection of UN staff and peacekeepers by predicting and preventing conflicts, improving situational awareness, expanding the overall reach of peacekeeping missions, and decreasing response times, especially for missions operating in challenging terrains. In employing AI systems, however, we must be cognisant of, and address the potential for misuse of this technology, including any violations of international law and infringements on the sovereignty of any nation.

Finally, there is a need for practical responses to challenges posed by the misuse of AI. One such practical measure is for countries to strengthen their cybersecurity infrastructure and to develop incident response plans to respond to cyber threats and attacks. At the international level, international cooperation through intelligence sharing and capacity-building remains critical. In terms of preserving information integrity, countering hate speech and disinformation campaigns in the context of UN peace operations require educational awareness and training for peacekeepers. Raising public awareness on the perils of hate speech and how to detect disinformation can help to create a safer operating environment for peacekeepers. Additionally, peacekeepers as part of their mandate should be trained to detect and respond effectively to cyber threats, hate speech, and disinformation, recognizing that they are at times victims of these.

Dear co-Chairs,

In closing, Guyana underscores the need for a multilateral approach to dealing with the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence. It is important for us to advance discussions on this topic to derive initiatives and policies that will capitalize on opportunities presented by AI, while mitigating the risks associated with its misuse.

Through concerted effort, we can ensure that AI technology does not threaten international peace and security but supports a more secure global environment for all.

I thank you!