How Technology Is Becoming a Tool of Global Security

Washington is often viewed as the center of geopolitical decision-making. Yet during a series of recent meetings involving Dr. Valery Tsepkalo with U.S. officials and lawmakers, it became clear that a different understanding of global security is steadily taking shape — one that places technology, education, and economic opportunity at its core.

At the White House, in discussions with Andrew Baker, the conversation extended beyond traditional security frameworks. Officials acknowledged that long-term stability increasingly depends not only on deterrence or diplomacy, but on whether societies are capable of generating opportunity for their populations. Economic stagnation, lack of education, and youth unemployment were identified as structural drivers of instability.

Dr. Valery Tsepkalo, President of the Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID), with Andrew Baker, U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor and National Security Advisor to the Vice President.

This perspective was echoed at the U.S. National Security Council during a meeting with Wayne Wall, who emphasized that the immediate challenges in Gaza remain fundamentally humanitarian — access to food, housing, and water. At the same time, he agreed that without a forward-looking development model, even the most substantial humanitarian efforts risk remaining temporary solutions.

“There has to be a pathway beyond survival,” one official noted during the discussions, underscoring the need for long-term economic frameworks.

In this context, proposals focused on the creation of a technology park in Gaza were presented as a potential model for transition from aid dependency to sustainable development. The idea centers on building an innovation ecosystem that would enable young people to participate in the global digital economy through remote work, entrepreneurship, and education.

A similar logic is increasingly being applied to Syria. While reconstruction efforts are already underway, including plans for modern telecommunications infrastructure, such as 5G networks, fiber optics, and satellite connectivity, officials pointed out that infrastructure alone will not be sufficient. The challenge lies in creating a functioning economic system capable of generating employment and integrating the country into global markets.

Regional partners, including Gulf states, have expressed readiness to invest in infrastructure projects. However, participants in the discussions emphasized that without institutional support and coordination involving the United States and international financial institutions such as the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, such initiatives are unlikely to achieve the scale necessary for meaningful transformation.

Beyond the Middle East, conversations in Washington also turned to Africa and the question of digital inequality. The initiative Computer Class for Every School in Africa, presented during the meetings, was described as a practical approach to addressing this gap by equipping schools and universities with computer labs built from repurposed corporate equipment.

Participants noted that digital access is no longer a secondary issue but a foundational one. “If you don’t have access to technology, you don’t have access to opportunity,” one interlocutor remarked, reflecting a broader consensus that education and digital skills are directly linked to long-term stability and economic inclusion.

Another important dimension of the discussions was the growing influence of artificial intelligence on global affairs. As highlighted in the exchanges led by Dr. Tsepkalo, AI is rapidly becoming a factor capable of reshaping the balance of power between states. In this context, the idea of engaging Nobel laureates in the preparation of a strategic report on AI was received with interest, as a way to bring independent, high-level expertise into the policy-making process.

With Charles McLaughlin, Special Assistant to the President for Europe and Central Eurasia.

The role of the United States in shaping these emerging frameworks was also highlighted during a meeting with Chuck Grassley. In addition to discussing global development and innovation, attention was given to broader initiatives aimed at strengthening societal resilience.

Among them was Lost Legacies, a project under the Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID), which focuses on preserving and digitizing historical and cultural memory. Participants in the discussion noted that in a rapidly changing world, maintaining continuity and identity plays an important role in social cohesion and long-term stability.

With Chuck Grassley, President pro tempore of the United States Senate.

Taken together, the meetings reflected a growing shift in thinking. Traditional tools of foreign policy — diplomacy, sanctions, and military engagement — remain important, but they are increasingly seen as insufficient on their own. They must be complemented by strategies that address the root causes of instability.

Technology parks, digital education initiatives, and large-scale innovation ecosystems are emerging as part of this new toolkit. They create jobs, expand access to knowledge, and integrate societies into the global economy — thereby reducing the structural conditions that often lead to conflict.

As one participant in the discussions summarized, “security today is as much about opportunity as it is about power.”

This evolving perspective suggests that the future of global stability will depend not only on political agreements, but on the ability to build systems that provide people with a viable economic and social future. In that sense, innovation is no longer just a driver of growth — it is becoming a cornerstone of security itself.

Dmitry Bolkunets