The United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), in partnership with Google Cloud and NGIS are advancing data-driven humanitarian planning through the use of AI and Geospatial powered tools, helping humanitarian organisations to analyse the most vulnerable locations across multiple areas and proactively plan for disaster response, climate driven displacement, and long term community recovery. 

At the centre of the initiative is the need for rapid, data-driven recovery. The enhanced IOM LOCALISE toolkit leverages AI to automate complex situational analysis, enabling a streamlined approach, significantly reducing the time between assessment and recovery. 

 “People who are uprooted from their homes deserve timely support that protects their rights and dignity. This initiative gives our teams better tools so they can plan faster, work more closely with local communities, and make sure that help reaches people when it matters most.”  Amy Pope, Director General of IOM.

High impact humanitarian response relies on a specific understanding of a community’s needs. The upgraded LOCALISE toolkit facilitates this understanding by embedding community insights and regional expertise into the planning process, ensuring these perspectives can form a strategic response on the ground.  

Powered by Google’s Generative AI 

The upgraded LOCALISE Toolkit combines geospatial insight and Earth observation technology with Google’s leading generative AI capabilities to deliver settlement profiles, service mapping, strategic action planning and locally informed recovery pathways. 

The collaboration marks a shift in humanitarian response by integrating Geospatial AI (GeoAI) directly into the LOCALISE toolkit. By leveraging Google Earth Engine, Gemini and Vertex AI, the toolkit automates the delivery of settlement profiles, service mapping, strategic action planning and locally informed recovery pathways.  

This high-performance cloud architecture allows IOM to scale its settlement-based planning, resulting in a more agile, data-driven framework that enables responders to prioritise interventions. This ensures that aid is delivered efficiently to the most underserved communities. 

The tool will first be piloted in two locations before global expansion. By automating the use of AI for IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) and in gathering up-to-date images and maps of basic services like electricity, schools, hospitals, and water, teams will be able to quickly identify suitable sites and plan support based on real conditions on the ground.   

Once released globally, the toolkit will provide IOM Missions, governments, and partner organisations with a scalable solution for varying geographies, ensuring assistance is planned and executed with maximum efficiency. 

About International Organization for Migration (IOM) 
Established in 1951, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is the leading intergovernmental organisation in the field of migration and part of the United Nations system. With 174 member states, 8 observer states, and operations in 171 countries, IOM works to promote humane and orderly migration by supporting migrants worldwide, advising on migration policy, and responding to evolving migration dynamics. 

About Google 
Google’s mission is to organise the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through technologies such as Google Cloud, Earth Engine, and Generative AI, Google provides power and planetary scale data analytics needed to solve complex commercial, environmental, and social challenges. By empowering a global ecosystem of partners, Google enables actionable insights to drive innovation and create a more sustainable future.