Innovation in mine action and ammunition management is about more than emerging technologies.
Innovation is about linking challenges on the ground and the people, ideas, tools, and methods that can address them. Whether it involves drones, data, or different ways of working, innovation begins by identifying actual needs and responding with solutions that are relevant, inclusive, and grounded in context.
While technology is a powerful tool, true innovation lies in how we creatively address challenges faced by countries affected by explosive ordnance, regardless of the specific technology or methodology needed. In 2024, the GICHD launched the Innovation Hub, which plays a central role in this vision. It provides a platform for knowledge-sharing, connecting academics, tech experts, and practitioners to collaborate on practical solutions based on concrete needs.
"The GICHD Innovation Hub is a fantastic and much-needed initiative to accelerate and scale innovation across the Mine Action sector. It creates space for collaboration, experimentation, and real impact. UNOPS PSC has been strongly encouraged and enabled by it, as it has formed the basis for a number of our advanced GIS and AI leveraged Mine Action projects. We hope to continue collaborating with the Hub to build on this momentum."
“The most interesting innovation event I have attended within the sector for years”, is how Russel Gasser, former European Commission Advisor on Mine Action Technologies, described the Innovation Session on artificial intelligence (AI). The GICHD hosted this groundbreaking event, the first of its kind in the mine action sector, in October 2024 in Geneva. Over 100 AI experts and mine action practitioners exchanged on challenges of the sector and possible ways to introduce AI in solutions.
The event was a catalyst for several new funding proposals and projects within the sector, including a new project by UNOPS in South Sudan and one by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Mine Action Centre in Southeast Asia.
"AI is not a substitute for human expertise, but when integrated with the skills of mine action professionals, it can lead to faster, safer, and more effective operations in conflict-prone regions."
