Addressing A New Paradigm: Infectious Diseases And National Security

“If it creates instability, chaos, conflict and war, that has national security implications.” – Samuel R. Berger

Conventionally, national security has been defined as the safeguarding the state from physical threats. The last two or three decades have seen sharp rise in other non-traditional threats, such as drugs, and diseases. Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, and their pandemic potential, pose a challenge to national security in the 21^st century that cannot be overlooked. The historical threat to national security by epidemic diseases is not new; however the threat has increased in recent past and is growing rapidly in developing countries like Pakistan. There are many lines of attack that infectious diseases can intimidate national security i.e. increased rates of morbidity and mortality, massive damage on public health and health infrastructure, political instability, and economic volatility.

The world has changed noticeably ever since World Health Organization (WHO) issued its first set of legally binding regulations aimed at preventing the international spread of disease. At that point in time, the disease situation was quite stable, new diseases were rare and drugs had transfigured the care of many recognized infectious diseases. However, today’s vastly itinerant, interdependent and interconnected world provides innumerable opportunities for the quick stretch of infectious diseases and toxic threats. Infectious diseases are now spreading geographically much faster than at any time in history and currently are the second leading cause of death worldwide and the leading cause of morbidity. Roughly, there are now nearly 40 to 50 diseases that were unknown a generation ago and disease outbreaks – whether natural, accidental or deliberate in origin, are an increasingly salient national security concern.

Historically, literature on health and security has been scarce and only in the past few years a body of literature on health and security has emerged. At the nexus of health and security lie many poignant examples of the growing threat of biological weapons, the negative impact of naturally occurring infectious diseases, the migration and proliferation of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases to non-endemic areas that fabricate a strong case for including health concerns in the national security debate. Though, health and security have traditionally occupied separate domains, in recent years the imperative fusion between health and national security has been recognized by policymakers, security and defence analysts in both developed and developing countries. Conversely, many medical innovations and technologies currently used in emergency rooms and operating theatres have military origins. Breakthroughs in surgery, trauma care, circulatory access, prosthetics and rehabilitation have come from the field of battle or military R&D.

In Pakistan, the emergence and re-emergence of Chikungunya in Sindh province and spread of Chickenpox in Punjab province along with the dispersion of infectious diseases geographically throughout country demonstrate that Ministry of Health (MoH) and Ministry of Defence (MoD) are not incorporated and interconnected to address the national health and security issues. Likewise, research and development (R&D) for new tools and technologies to prevent, detect and respond to emerging disease threats and outbreaks have not been considered with growing need in the country. As seen with the Chikungunya and Chickenpox outbreaks, there is a shortage of appropriate diagnostics and vaccines to manage the response and lack of regulatory framework for fast-tracking and surveillance technology, tools and techniques when respond is indispensable.

To cut a long story short, the link between infectious diseases and national security is relatively a new concept in Pakistan. A new paradigm is needed that link infectious diseases to national security and recognize the broad effects of diseases on our society. Response to infectious disease threats should be strategic priority of health and security agencies. Ministry of Defence (MoD) needs to acknowledge its role in ensuring that the state’s population is fit and healthy since there are no signs that the Ministry of Defense (MoD) is awakening to this responsibility. At a time when our conceptions of national security are evolving rapidly, we must look hard at uncertain and non-traditional threats, exceptionally. With uncertainty and ambiguity, a large amount of work is needed to bring analytical clarity to the health and national security paradigm.

http://www.diplomacypakistan.com/articles/addressing-a-new-paradigm-infectious-diseases-and-national-security/

Technopolitika: Science & Technology In International Relations

Science and technology (S&T) are at the same time symbol and engine of modernization. They are therefore subjects of importance and controversy for developing countries. Science is valued for its close relationship to technology and shorthand phrase “Science & Technology” has become so embedded in the vernacular of international relations that it is almost impossible to avoid. As said by Alfred Thayer Mahan, “In a globalized world economy, whoever has the technological edge will dominate the world.”

In international relations, S&T, economics and diplomacy are the most important tools for any nation. Historically, S&T has been one of the main currencies for exchange and dialogue among human societies and sovereign nations. In modern times, it is emerging as an important instrument of techno-economic power that will shape the changing dynamics of international relations. For every sovereign nation both S&T and diplomacy are essential tools for managing international relations, the essence of which is protecting national security and projecting national power. More recently, S&T has not only been effectively used by nations for soft-power projection and establishing the power-balance dynamics between sovereign nations but also, offering unconventional channels of engagement amongst countries that may have political differences. In this changing paradigm, it is highly desirable to understand the importance of S&T dimensions of international relations and the changing dynamics of diplomacy among nations.

In recent past, economic globalization and volatile escalation of Information Communication Technology (ICT) has subjugated the political and corporate agenda that is defining a new prototype where competition and cooperation must coexist among most sensible societies and nations. This will call for skilful ambassadorial strategy of different priorities in future that will have to be based on sound understanding of the role of S&T in international relations. Our world is far more interconnected today, where no nation can afford to be isolated, no matter how powerful or self-sufficient. Technologies of global reach are changing the reference lines and timelines of the geopolitics of international relations, diplomatic perceptions and global affairs.

Since independence, S&T development in Pakistan has been need-based and not really driven by any ‘National Action Plan’. Pakistan also performed very poorly in implementing the National Science, Technology and Innovation Policy (ST&I) 2012 and Science, Technology & Innovation Strategy 2014-18. While there have been many pockets of excellence in scientific research and technology innovation, the nation as a whole still fares rather poorly in S&T in comparison to most other comparable nations. As a result, there are no long-term plans for synchronizing S&T development or technology acquisition with the objectives of foreign policy or diplomatic agenda. Considerably, the government, S&T specialists and foreign policy makers may perform the following role:

• ·         Government must get its own house in order; leaders should exhibit good moral character and exceptionally eliminate corruption and nepotism from ST&I Policy and from society as-a-whole.
• ·         Establish the coordinating office for S&T based foreign policy and clear position to science and technology diplomacy (STD) as the new axis.
• ·         Utilize science and technology personnel in diplomatic activities/missions and scientific knowledge in formulating and implementing diplomatic policy.
• ·         Promote strategic joint research and development with partner countries with high diplomatic importance.
• ·         Strategically target influential S&T related organizations and promote intellectual exchange. Set a diplomatic agenda based on scientific evidence, and lead international efforts.
• ·         Proactively convey the message that Pakistan will take leadership role for the solution of global challenges by using S&T to achieve desirable international circumstances.

In the modern world of today, S&T is so intimately rooted in national priorities and international equations that it has become an inseparable component of international relations. In the future, S&T will play a role greater than any other factor in shaping relations among nations. Science and technology diplomacy (STD) will not only play the final defining role but also a central role in building and strengthening relationships with other countries. Today is high time for the scientists, scientific and technological communities of Pakistan to play a progressively more visible and critical role as knowledge brokers, creators and disseminators. In these efforts, science and technology diplomacy can and should be central to each of our nations’ focus on foreign policy and our role in the world.

http://www.diplomacypakistan.com/articles/technopolitika-science-technology-in-international-relations/