UN Commission on Science and Technology for Development

On UN CSTD’s Agenda:
Measures to Implement the Use of Artificial Intelligence to Aid Low and Lower-Middle Income Nations

As a result of the developments of the Information Era, technology has become crucial to the functioning of many States, but has particularly become a lifeline for low and lower-middle income nations. Commercial uses of AI are expanding in emerging markets, in areas ranging from manufacturing and energy, to education and financial services. For example, Clinicas de Azucar in Mexico uses AI to analyse data and improve health outcomes for at-risk diabetic patients.

Nevertheless, there are currently 1.2 billion people without access to power grids. In response, companies are beginning to create innovative technologies to help those in such situations. For example, Azuri Technologies has developed a solar-powered pay-as-you-go model for rural homes in 12 countries across Africa. This comes with a changing system that utilises AI to optimise power consumption by learning energy needs and adjusting output through techniques like automatically dimming lights, slowing fans, or managing divide charging. This solution has great potential, and the company recently secured a $26 million private equity investment to expand across Africa.

In the CSTD Council we will discuss questions surrounding such technological developments and debate about how policymakers can take advantage of this AI-driven future, while keeping in mind that using AI to automate tasks can threaten to replace workers in industries that drive economic development.

READ THE UN CSTD BACKGROUND PAPER

Meet Your Chair:
Lara Avila

Hi delegates! My name is Lara Avila and I am a first year Communication & Information Studies student at the University of Groningen. I was born in Madrid, Spain to a Spanish father and German mother, but have lived in Panama, Latin America for the past 10 years. Apart from learning about current events and my enthusiasm for youth empowerment, I love travelling, playing flag football, photography, and fashion.

I attended the International School of Panama, where I graduated with the IB diploma and had the opportunity to start my journey in Model UN. During the first two conferences, I held the position of the delegate of France (SOCHUM Committee) and the delegate of Peru (UN Security Council). During the last two conferences I attended, I wanted to feel the MUN experience from a different perspective and was a photographer and editor in chief of the event newspaper.

It is my pleasure to be your chair for the Commission on Science and Technology for Development at this year’s GrunnMUN. I am looking forward to seeing you dive deep into these complex global issues, hearing your ideas and resolutions, and making an impact. I trust in your preparation and excitement to foster development in a globalising world. See you soon!

Fun fact: I broke all the strings of a cello the very first time I tried playing it!

Meet Your Chair:
Beth Casserly

Hey delegates! I’m Beth, and I’m going to be one of your CSTD chairs for GrunnMUN. I am from Galway, Ireland, and I’m currently in my first year studying English Language and Culture. I’m extremely passionate about youth empowerment and hearing young voices, while also being obsessed with poetry and music.

I initially did not want to do MUN at all, and it actually took two full years of convincing for me to even go to one meeting. After that however, I completely fell in love with it, representing Turkey (ECOSOC Committee) in my first conference. My top MUN memory was when I represented Brazil in the Ecology and Environment committee. In my last year of high school, I took a stab at chairing and, thanks to quarantine moving our conferences online, I had the honour of chairing some brilliant Irish conferences, like COMUN, CBCMUN, and SAIMUN. I ended up becoming President of my school’s Model UN group, who are now approaching their own MUN too.

I am very excited to hear all your ideas in the Commission on Science and Technology for Development at GrunnMUN and have a good fruitful debate. Happy MUNing!

Fun fact: During my very first MUN speech, I completely lost my voice, started coughing, and had to sit down. Great start to an MUN career.