The Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO) launched IMAP in 2019 to enable data-driven decision-making in alignment with the Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018. IMAP’s innovative use of unclassified technology and data tracks global conflict trends to inform U.S. strategies, policies, and programs on conflict prevention and stabilization. IMAP products are accessible to more than 75,000 U.S. Department of State employees and interagency partners and include:
Violent Conflict and Atrocity Forecasting
CSO forecasts countries at risk of violent conflict and atrocities. IMAP hosts heat maps and early warning assessments of conflict trends, instability and violence, and potential atrocities at the national and sub-national levels.
Geospatial Conflict Analysis
CSO maps, tracks, and analyzes conflict events, leveraging in-house geospatial experts. Using satellite imagery and advanced geospatial analysis, CSO counters disinformation by identifying attacks on civilian areas and infrastructure, documenting potential atrocity crimes, and monitoring potential ceasefire violations.
Armed Actor Mapping
CSO improves U.S. and partner country strategies to address non-state armed actor financing and activities by conducting advanced socio-political-economic network analysis. CSO works closely with the interagency to identify key individuals and groups, identify linkages among them and to other actors, and offer policy options.
Negotiations Modeling
CSO informs political negotiations by identifying key actors’ interests and priorities and forecasting negotiation outcomes. CSO assesses options and key leverage points throughout the negotiations process to optimize U.S. policy outcomes.
Conflict Trend and Impact Assessment
CSO provides situational awareness of conflict dynamics and a nuanced understanding of conflict trends and political instability by tracking country conditions and conducting analytical simulations. Analysis is utilized for implementation of the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability.