Diplomacy in the digital age

Courtesy: Civics Unplugged Civic Innovator fellowship

Abstract:

The digital revolution has transformed international relations, changing how nations interact, manage conflicts, and address global issues. This transformation has significant implications for modern diplomacy, particularly in the realm of cybersecurity.

Today the entire world is connected by the internet, countries can’t rely on traditional borders to keep themselves safe from bad actors. Anyone with an internet connection has the potential to cripple a countries infrastructure, economic system, or elections. by hacking into the controls of critical infrastructure like the electric grid, water supply, or even nuclear power plants. Case studies, such as North Korea’s cyberattack on Sony and SpaceX’s Starlink in Ukraine, demonstrate the growing importance of cybersecurity in protecting national interests.

The relationship between governments and the private sector in developing critical technologies is complex, especially during armed conflicts. This paper attempts to highlight the need for balanced policies and public-private partnerships to address the risks and opportunities of relying on private-sector technology, emphasizing the importance of enhanced technological capabilities for effective governance in the digital age.

Creation of United Nations:
(i) After the failure of the League of Nations and the horrors of World war II, the world’s remaining great powers (the U.S., USSR, UK, France, and China) wanted to create an international organization with more power to maintain world peace.
(ii) The United Nations (UN) is a diplomatic and political international organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and serve as a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. It is the world’s largest international organization.
(iii) UNSC: UN Security council consists of 15 members of which the United States, the United Kingdom, China, France, Russia are permanent members. Permanent members can block any substantive Security Council resolution.

Some of the ways in which the UN has been successful include:

(i) Maintaining international peace and security.
(ii) Promoting human rights and equality: The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948, serves as a cornerstone of international human rights law.
(iii) The UN has led efforts to promote sustainable development and eradicate poverty through initiatives such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
(iv)Providing humanitarian assistance through agencies such as the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF, etc
(v) Protecting the environment: ex: The Paris Agreement.

In what ways UN has failed?
(i) The veto power given to the 5 founding members allows one country to derail any potential peacekeeping mission.
(ii) It has failed to prevent conflicts and genocides in Bosnia, Rwanda, Syria, Kosovo, Sri Lanka, Ukraine and many more places.
(iii)It is not taken seriously by many governments, including some security council members.

Tools of foreign policy:
Foreign policy is how countries try to influence each other in order to advance their own interests. Those tools generally fall into three broad categories: Political, Economic, and Military.
(i) The primary political tool is diplomacy — all the ways in which one country communicates with other countries, both at high-level meetings between leaders and regular interactions between diplomats and ambassadors.
(ii) In the Economic category of tools – foreign assistance and humanitarian development can generate goodwill, help stabilize a country, and increase its capacity to govern. Trade policies are also used to influence other countries’ behaviour — by offering access to domestic markets and foreign investment to incentivize other countries to act in favourable ways.
On the flip side, economic sanctions actively restrict other countries’ ability to trade and grow economically, and can punish them for acting in undesirable ways, potentially convincing them to change their behaviour.
(iii)The most powerful tools tend to be in the military category. At times, when its use of other tools has failed, or when it feels directly threatened, one country will use armed force against another, until it changes its behaviour. Whether through limited airstrikes or a full-scale invasion, armed force can lead to war between two countries, which often results in damage for both sides, with no clear-cut winners or losers. But military action between countries is often prevented through the tool of deterrence.
Sometimes military action isn’t about forcing another country to do something, but rather helping it. For example, if two countries are fighting or one is going through a civil war, other countries can assist in peacekeeping, sending in their militaries to try to stop the fighting and restore stability.

(iv)Other tools:

• Intelligence – Intelligence involves gathering information about another country. If leaders have insights into what is going on in other countries: about what their leaders or citizens are thinking or doing, they can use other foreign policy tools more strategically, and they can share that intelligence with friendly
  countries.
• Nation building- it happens when countries attempt to build functioning political, economic, and security institutions in other countries. This tool often involves the use of several tools: military training, intelligence, humanitarian assistance, trade, and diplomacy.
• Soft power – It’s when a country gets other countries to adopt the same goals as their own by demonstrating that its domestic and foreign policies are successful and worth following. This is often achieved by promoting its cultural and political values abroad.

Cyber security and international relations:
(i) Now that the entire world is connected by the internet, countries can’t rely on traditional borders to keep themselves safe from bad actors. Anyone with an internet connection (including state actors) has the potential to cripple a countries infrastructure, economic system, or elections.
(ii) What are some ways this can happen?

• Hackers could break into the controls of critical infrastructure like the electric grid, water supply, or even nuclear power plants
• Attacks on global economic systems, like the SWIFT payment system that allows banks to move money around the world

(iii) Some preventative measures countries can take to protect themselves:

• Testing cyber threats and solutions in a simulated environment
• Interdepartmental and inter-organizational cooperation
• Sharing information with other countries

Case study 1: North Korea’s Sony attacks:

• This is the first ever instance of a state actor (North Korea) using a cyber attack against
  a non-state actor (Sony).
• In November 2014, a group identifying itself as the “Guardians of Peace” (GOP) attacked Sony’s internal network, destroying thousands of network assets before leaking valuable and sensitive internal data online. The attack was designed to coerce
  Sony into cancelling the release of The Interview, a film seen as offensive to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un due to its depiction of his assassination.
• By employing malware unregistered by Sony’s anti-virus software, and extracting datain small quantities over multiple weeks, the attackers were able steal sensitive employee information, scripts and films, and executive communications.
• After the destruction of Sony servers and threats of physical violence by the GOP, major theater chains and trade associations decided to cancel screenings of The Interview. Sony itself conceded and cancelled most of the film’s remaining 3,500 planned screenings,
• Sony leadership faced wide criticism for failing to properly invest in cybersecurity
  measures which could have made themselves less vulnerable to intrusion or lateral
  movement

Case study 2: Starlink:

• Starlink, part of SpaceX, is a satellite internet constellation in low earth orbit that connect to ground terminals which, in turn, connect to the end user. SpaceX’s Starlink had a contract to provide services to Ukraine. In September of 2022, Ukraine asked for Starlink support to attack Russian naval vessels in Crimea (annexed from Ukraine in 2014). However, Elon Musk refused over fears that it would provoke a nuclear response from Russia

Issues to consider:
Overreliance on the private sector for critical technologies and services can create dependency and vulnerability for governments, particularly if private sector companies are based in foreign countries or subject to geopolitical pressures. Outsourcing sensitive military or intelligence functions to private sector companies raises concerns about security, confidentiality, and control over classified information and strategic assets.

(i) Should governments be relying on private-sector tech for support during armed conflict? Do they have a choice?
The reliance of governments on the private sector for technological support during armed conflicts is a complex issue. Whether governments have a choice in this matter depends on its’ capabilities and resources, the nature of the conflict, and the technological expertise available in the private sector. The private sector often possesses cutting-edge technology, research, and development capabilities that may exceed those of the government. Private sector companies may also offer competitive pricing and flexible contracting arrangements and can be cost effective as the Government does not require to make large investment. Private sector companies may have specialized expertise in niche areas such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, aerospace, and defence technology. Collaborating with industry leaders and subject matter experts can enhance the government’s capabilities and effectiveness in addressing complex security challenges.

(ii) As privately developed tech outpaces public-sector development, what do you think is a good policy approach by governments?

• Governments can increase funding for research and development initiatives in strategic sectors such as technology, healthcare, renewable energy, and defence.
• Governments can leverage partnerships with the private sector (Public Private
  partnership-PPP) to accelerate innovation, share risks and resources, and harness the
  expertise of industry leaders.
• Governments can also establish clear regulatory frameworks to balance innovation with safety, privacy, security, and ethical considerations, fostering trust and confidence in new technologies among stakeholders.
• Governments can also use procurement policies and incentives to stimulate innovation, support small businesses, and drive demand for cutting-edge technologies.

References:
(i) https://edition.cnn.com/2023/09/07/politics/elon-musk-biography-walter-isaacsonukraine-starlink/index.html
(ii) https://education.cfr.org/learn/foreign-policy0?utm_source=li&utm_medium=social_owned
(iii)https://www.e-ir.info/about/#google_vignette