Alex Deghan - Five Laws of Science Diplomacy

Five Laws of Science Five Laws of Science DiplomacyDiplomacy

Dr. Alex DehganDr. Alex DehganScience & Technology Adviser to the AdministratorScience & Technology Adviser to the Administrator

U.S. Agency for International DevelopmentU.S. Agency for International Development

22

You are hereYou are here

““The United States is no longer bordered by The United States is no longer bordered by just Canada and Mexico.” Our backyard is just Canada and Mexico.” Our backyard is much bigger now.much bigger now.

Saeb ErakatSaeb Erakat

Rule 1: We are all in it Rule 1: We are all in it together together

Global Climatic DisruptionGlobal Climatic Disruption

Climate change will both affect the US and the Climate change will both affect the US and the Middle East, Central Asia, and North Africa Middle East, Central Asia, and North Africa substantially – this is a national security issue, substantially – this is a national security issue, an economic issue, a diplomacy issue. an economic issue, a diplomacy issue.

Environmental Degradation

Loss of Biodiversity

Loss of Pollinators (Colony Collapse Disorder: 20-40% of US bee colonies, perhaps 50 billion bees; 90% of bat colony collapse in NE caves, Increased invasive species, increased disease risk (Chytrid fungus contributing to extinction or decline of 200 ssp. of frogs), unprecedented rates of species loss.

New diseases are emerging at a New diseases are emerging at a "historically unprecedented" rate of "historically unprecedented" rate of one per year. In the last five years one per year. In the last five years alone, WHO has documented more alone, WHO has documented more than 1,100 epidemics including bird than 1,100 epidemics including bird flu, polio and cholera.flu, polio and cholera.

Emerging Infectious Emerging Infectious DiseasesDiseases

Ungoverned VoidsUngoverned Voids

Rule 2: Science Diplomacy Rule 2: Science Diplomacy Works Best with our Most Works Best with our Most

Challenging RelationshipsChallenging Relationships

Scientific Scientific Diplomacy During Diplomacy During the Cold Warthe Cold War

Has been used for the last 50 Has been used for the last 50 years, including during the cold years, including during the cold war, but narrowly tailored. Old war, but narrowly tailored. Old fashion diplomacy is no longer fashion diplomacy is no longer sufficient. The realm of diplomacy sufficient. The realm of diplomacy has greatly expanded to include has greatly expanded to include other agents. other agents.

June 2004 Zogby International Poll • Only 11 percent of Moroccans surveyed had a

favorable overall view of the United States—but 90 percent had a positive view of U.S. science and technology.

• Only 15 percent of Jordanians had a positive overall view, but 83 percent registered admiration for U.S. science and technology.

• Among people under 30, attitudes toward U.S. science tended to be even more positive.

The Public The Public Diplomacy Diplomacy ChallengeChallenge

Science as Public DiplomacyScience as Public Diplomacy

Science is the one area in the Islamic World where Science is the one area in the Islamic World where the United States enjoys an overwhelming popular the United States enjoys an overwhelming popular opinion. opinion.

The language of science is the same worldwide. The language of science is the same worldwide. Supporting scientific capacity allows the U.S. to Supporting scientific capacity allows the U.S. to counter arguments that it seeks to keep the Muslim counter arguments that it seeks to keep the Muslim World oppressed.World oppressed.

Science provides a common language, common Science provides a common language, common values, and common culture for engagement that is values, and common culture for engagement that is valued by all countries.valued by all countries.

Promoting Moderation & RationalityPromoting Moderation & Rationality

Scientific engagement serves Scientific engagement serves U.S. interests to promote U.S. interests to promote stability by empowering a stability by empowering a traditional source of traditional source of moderate leadership in the moderate leadership in the country.country.

Scientists frequently are Scientists frequently are the intelligentsia of the intelligentsia of society, and play society, and play important roles as leaders important roles as leaders in many developing in many developing countries.countries.

Scientific Engagement with Iran?

(1)(1) Leaders in the middle east in total # publications/annum, growth Leaders in the middle east in total # publications/annum, growth rate of publications, behind Turkey & Kuwait in rate of publications, behind Turkey & Kuwait in publications/capita; evolving quickly.publications/capita; evolving quickly.

(2)(2) Sanctions have actually accelerated endemic scientific growth. Sanctions have actually accelerated endemic scientific growth. Developed own line of stem cells for research. Different from Developed own line of stem cells for research. Different from Arab World, development of true knowledge society, and point of Arab World, development of true knowledge society, and point of pride.pride.

(3)(3) US is foremost among international co-authors, not Europe, US is foremost among international co-authors, not Europe, China, or Russia.China, or Russia.

(4)(4) Strong historical ties, significant, well-educated, expat community Strong historical ties, significant, well-educated, expat community in US. Particular strengths in medicine. in US. Particular strengths in medicine. During the shah's era, Iranians made up the largest group of foreign students at U.S. schools, according to the Institute of International Education

Science is ImportantScience is Important

Environmental Diplomacy Environmental Diplomacy with Iranwith Iran

PantheraPantheraWCSWCS

Rule 3: Science Diplomacy Rule 3: Science Diplomacy requires True Scientific requires True Scientific

ExchangeExchange

Mechanics of Science Mechanics of Science DiplomacyDiplomacy

Science Diplomacy must be more than a public Science Diplomacy must be more than a public diplomacy function, but be based on sound science.diplomacy function, but be based on sound science.

Its greatest strength occurs when it is least politicized Its greatest strength occurs when it is least politicized and is jointly conducted.and is jointly conducted.

It must meet real needs within a country or region.It must meet real needs within a country or region.

It is most successful when the benefits run both ways.It is most successful when the benefits run both ways.

Rule 4: Science diplomacy is Rule 4: Science diplomacy is not the relationship, but the not the relationship, but the

scaffolding for it. scaffolding for it.

Science Diplomacy GoalsScience Diplomacy Goals

•To relieve underlying factors and stresses leading to To relieve underlying factors and stresses leading to unproductive behavior.unproductive behavior.

•To build a scaffolding for engagement.To build a scaffolding for engagement.

•To encourage movement toward productive behaviors To encourage movement toward productive behaviors

•To prevent proliferation. Non-proliferation works better To prevent proliferation. Non-proliferation works better through engagement than containment.through engagement than containment.

Promotes American ValuesPromotes American Values

The values inherent in science include honesty, The values inherent in science include honesty, doubt, respect for evidence, doubt, respect for evidence, transparency and transparency and openness, meritocracyopenness, meritocracy, accountability and , accountability and tolerance and indeed hunger for opposing tolerance and indeed hunger for opposing points of view.points of view.

Rule 5: Development is how Rule 5: Development is how we will meet our shared we will meet our shared

challenges challenges

Challenges for Challenges for DevelopmentDevelopment

Need much more progress along the Millennium Need much more progress along the Millennium Development GoalsDevelopment Goals

The world of development has changed. Many The world of development has changed. Many more actors. How can we take advantage of more actors. How can we take advantage of this.this.

There is an increasing danger to ungoverned There is an increasing danger to ungoverned spaces, and a lack of development.spaces, and a lack of development.

Have development been effective? Are there Have development been effective? Are there better models?better models?

What is the next green or blue revolution?What is the next green or blue revolution?

Grand Challenges in DevelopmentGrand Challenges in Development

We must turn Challenges into OpportunitiesWe must turn Challenges into Opportunities

How to sustainably provide power to deep rural How to sustainably provide power to deep rural communities in the developing world; communities in the developing world;

How to make education available anytime, anywhere for How to make education available anytime, anywhere for anyone; anyone;

How to better manage and coordinate responses to How to better manage and coordinate responses to humanitarian crises and conflicts; humanitarian crises and conflicts;

How to create resilience to environmental change and How to create resilience to environmental change and variability in staple grain crops;variability in staple grain crops;

How to provide high-quality, affordable primary health care How to provide high-quality, affordable primary health care in rural communitiesin rural communities

How to allow people in the developing world monitor and How to allow people in the developing world monitor and evaluate development effortsevaluate development efforts

Open InnovationOpen Innovation

• How do we bring new solvers into How do we bring new solvers into development? How do we find new development? How do we find new technological solutions that may exist in other technological solutions that may exist in other fields.fields.

• We will uses prizes and constraints to bring We will uses prizes and constraints to bring new solvers and new solutions to bear on key new solvers and new solutions to bear on key constraints of development challenges. constraints of development challenges.

• We must find innovations wherever they occur, We must find innovations wherever they occur, within USAID, within developing countries, and within USAID, within developing countries, and within the global scientific community. within the global scientific community.

Capacity and Indigenous InnovationCapacity and Indigenous Innovation

• Our new approach must help developing countries Our new approach must help developing countries build their own STI capacity to solve development build their own STI capacity to solve development problems. problems. We must ultimately harness the power We must ultimately harness the power of all members of the global community to of all members of the global community to address common challenges that we face abroad address common challenges that we face abroad and at home. Frequently, the solutions can not be and at home. Frequently, the solutions can not be achieved by any single country. achieved by any single country.

• This means reinvesting in higher education This means reinvesting in higher education capacity and technical training.capacity and technical training.

• In this sense, we move from a handful of global In this sense, we move from a handful of global development agencies to 6.7 billion development development agencies to 6.7 billion development agents. agents.