NEW YORK / RankWire.AI / – Latvia will use its first-ever presidency of the UN Security Council to put artificial intelligence and autonomous technologies at the center of debate on war and peace. The Council will hold a high-level open debate on November 24 titled “Conflict Resolution in an Era of Rapid Technological Change.” Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs will chair the meeting, according to the Emirates News Agency.
The debate will examine how rapid technological advances, including AI and autonomous and uncrewed systems, are reshaping armed conflicts and how they are resolved. It will also weigh the opportunities and risks such tools pose to international peace and security. The meeting is listed in the Council’s November programme of work as a high-level open debate. The Security Council is the UN body with primary responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.
Members will look at the integration of emerging technologies into conflict management, from early warning, prevention and mediation to peacekeeping and post-conflict recovery. The aim is to maximize the benefits of these tools while limiting the risks. Representatives from the technology sector will brief members, Anadolu Agency reported, while the debate is also expected to touch on climate change. Members will also discuss how the Council can mediate the effects of technological advances.
A first term for Latvia
Latvia is serving its first term on the Security Council, for 2026 and 2027, after winning election with 178 votes. November is its only month holding the rotating presidency. Ambassador Sanita Pavļuta-Deslandes said AI is a topic that will stay on the Council’s agenda. The ambassador added that Latvia uses AI to analyze speeches and for reporting, but always with a human touch. Latvia joined the United Nations in 1991.
Since January 2026, Latvia has organized formal and informal discussions, seminars and an interactive dialogue on AI and peace and security. Latvia and Greece are also launching an informal expert group on emerging threats this month. The Council does not plan to set global AI rules, which remain a matter for the General Assembly, whose president has pushed for faster progress on AI governance. Latvia also supports a Norwegian-Finnish call on frontier AI models.
Drones near the Russian border
Latvia’s focus reflects threats close to home. The Baltic country shares a border of about 284 kilometers with Russia. On November 1, the Latvian military used an interceptor drone to counter an attack, and a drone believed to be Ukrainian later crashed in northeastern Latvia near the Russian border. NATO jets were also scrambled after drone alerts in neighboring Lithuania. Latvia’s ambassador said the country works with UN advisory panels, UNESCO and the International Telecommunication Union on AI.
The debate will also address the safety of peacekeepers, humanitarian workers, journalists and civilians in conflicts shaped by new technology. Concerns about who controls AI have grown, as Guterres said in Madrid that a few companies should not decide what people see, read and believe. The Council’s November agenda also includes Russia and Ukraine, Lebanon and a debate on Palestine. Peacekeeping mandates for Abyei and the Central African Republic are also up for renewal.