As the belt tightens on defense
budgets worldwide, the high technology sector of aerospace, defense and
security companies is starting to reevaluate increasingly outdated business
lines. It is in this space that the
sector must think innovatively in order to adapt to today’s changing needs. Indeed, as the traditional defense
market shrinks, significant opportunities are emerging to supply security
technology to non-traditional customers–like developing states and emerging
economies grappling with 21st century transnational challenges. Meeting these new demands will not only
bolster businesses’ bottom lines in a time of fiscal austerity, but also help
achieve national security objectives and boost poorer countries’ development
aspirations.
The Stimson Center recognizes that there is untapped potential at the intersection of wise public policy and corporations’ profit goals. Therefore, since 2010, the Center has developed an innovative model for engaging governments, private industry and civil society in a fundamentally different conversation on facilitating sustainable development through societal security capacity building. The model-which has already received significant traction in the United States and Europe-centers around the axiom that there are market driven incentives for the high technology industry to do well by doing good.
Through research,
partnerships and outreach with a wide range of stakeholders worldwide, the project seeks to redefine
the narrative and expand the focus on technology as a force multiplier for
security and development, particularly in largely untapped or expanding
markets, such as Central and South America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Project staff are frequently asked to brief
policymakers, industry actors and civil society groups on the model and
the topic has been the focus of several recent public speaking engagements.
In 2013 and beyond, Stimson will continue to work with industry partners, governments and civil society to build pragmatic and replicable pilot projects that fuse government capacity building with the technology, systems and training available in the private sector. Initiatives are already underway in Africa and Central America. To better share the lessons learned and to more fully understand the motivations of the security and defense industry, Stimson looks forward to advancing existing relationships with industry and to forging new partnerships with the security and defense sector.
Project
background and scope
In this interconnected
world, national security depends less and less on military firepower. Defense, security and economic prosperity are
instead increasingly defined by insecure nations that are vulnerable to
criminal enterprises and terrorist groups. In this geostrategic environment, a major
endeavor is, thus, to build resilient societies able to safeguard against these
illicit actors.
The security, defense and infrastructure industries have the technology, skills and solutions to support the emergence of resilient and secure societies. These sectors can provide high-tech solutions to fight crime, facilitate food and energy security, combat public health scourges, offer creative ways to adapt to climate change and develop states’ resiliency to natural disasters. This type of capacity-building is a cornerstone of any nation’s development strategy. Moreover, it furthers global security because of the transnational nature of today’s illicit networks-one country’s weakness can pose a danger for all countries. It is therefore up to countries with advanced industries to encourage companies to develop a product and service portfolio that can then be utilized to address today’s and tomorrow’s needs and challenges. Industries, for their part, can benefit from expanding collaborations with each other and with governments to strengthen infrastructure and security at borders, ports and cities worldwide.
Companies that
develop partnerships to become leading providers of infrastructure and societal
security will not only be doing good, they will also benefit financially. Over the next quarter-century, the world will
spend $40 trillion on infrastructure, and the market for societal security
spending is already worth more than $200 billion. The latter figure primarily represents markets
in developed states and rising economic powerhouses. In the next quarter-century, this number is
expected to grow exponentially larger due to increasing demand in the
developing world. In the next 25 years, Africa alone will
require more than $1 trillion in infrastructure upgrades,
which will simultaneously require built-in security. Moreover, the U.S., European
nations, Japan and emerging regional powers like Brazil are increasingly
recognizing the interconnected nature of today’s security and development
challenges and are interested in engaging the private sector for mutual
benefit.
Expanding this hybrid framework
generates many winners: Governments make progress toward fulfilling security and
development objectives worldwide and weaker states gain access to the
technology necessary to further national progress. Finally, private corporations increase profits
and expand market shares into emerging and developing countries.
Resources
- Combatting the Undercurrents of Globalization in the Developing World: The Next Frontier for the High Technology Industry (UI Papers, published by The Swedish Institute of International Affairs, March 2013)
- Hybrid Framework For a Hybrid World (Presentation at Uppsala University panel titled “A Wider Security Agenda,” December 5, 2012)
- Global and Regional Security/Development Challenges and the Role of Innovative Partnerships (Presentation at Dynamixx and IHS sponsored industry conference titled “E3DS12” on energy, environment, economics, defence, and security, November 13-14, 2012)
- Towards a More Effective Implementation of the EU Security Strategy: What Methods and Strategies to Ensure Impact (Presentation at European Union Parliament Policy Hub, October 5, 2012)
- Defense, Security and Development in a Hybrid World (World Politics Review Feature Report, Final Curtain: The End of the New World Order, September 11, 2012)
- More national security work ahead (Politico, August 8, 2012)
- Japan Takes the Lead in Coordinating Security and Development Aid (World Politics Review, August 1, 2012)
- Development and Arms Export: Tech, Security Firms Can Help in ‘Global South’ (Defense News, April 22, 2012)
Contact
For more information, please contact:
Johan Bergenäs
Deputy Director
Managing Across Boundaries program
Stimson Center
[email protected]
202-478-3443
Esha Mufti
Research Assistant
Managing Across Boundaries program
Stimson Center
[email protected]
202-478-3439