To compete and thrive in the 21st century, democracies, and the United States in particular, must develop new national security and economic strategies that address the geopolitics of information. In the 20th century, market capitalist democracies geared infrastructure, energy, trade, and even social policy to protect and advance that era’s key source of power—manufacturing. In this century, democracies must better account for information geopolitics across all dimensions of domestic policy and national strategy.
The aim of this seminar is to outline the elements of a global action program for the application of science, technology and innovation (STI) to meeting the Millennium Development Goals as outlined by the Millennium Summit in 2000. In particular, it will focus on presenting the analytical framework, modus operandi and milestones set for the Task Force on Science, Technology and Innovation of the United Nations Millennium Project chaired by Calestous Juma, Professor of the Practice of International Development, Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University and Dato' Ir Lee Yee-Cheong, President-Elect of the World Federation of Engineering. The task force is focusing on the role of science, technology and innovation in (a) meeting basic needs in developing countries; (b) enhancing the participation of poor countries in the global economy; and (c) addressing the sustainability challenge.