UN rep: Benefits from big data

UN Development co-ordination office for Latin America and the Caribbean regional director Christian Salazar Volkmann is optimistic that big data can be used to develop the region, in light of the challenges posed by the covid19 pandemic.

Big data is defined as extremely large data sets that may be analysed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations, especially relating to human behaviour and interactions. At Tuesday’s virtual UN Big Data Forum, Volkmann said big data "is an important tool and it must become an important tool to help our region that is hardest hit in socio-economic terms by covid19, to recover.”

Volkmann said big data could be used to properly identify marginalised and vulnerable groups in Latin America and the Caribbean. and could allow for public and private sector entities to direct scarce resources to the people who need it most. Volkmann also said big and small businesses could see how they could use big data to find niche markets and expand their economic reach.

After noting that privacy issues are central to the proper usage of big data, Volkmann underscored the importance of trust in this exercise.

“Trust is a very precious good these days, in the age of fake news and false information.” He hoped the forum would provide an opportunity to discuss the possibility of a big data and analytics centre being established in the region.

Volkmann praised the efforts of TT to advance issues related to big data.