echnological innovation is reshaping how we build security and resilience across the diplomatic, economic, and climate spheres. Its role in diplomacy is becoming more pronounced as tools emerge that make governance more transparent and participatory. For example, Know Your Parliamentarian, developed through Accountability Lab’s HackCorruption project, provides citizens in Nepal with a centralized platform to access information about elected officials. This kind of data transparency enables civic actors to hold leaders accountable and strengthens democratic processes. At a global level, AI models trained on legislative records can help spot patterns and risks, supporting more responsive and informed diplomacy.
Emerging technologies also enhance decision making and risk response. AI–powered tools can detect and map complex threats, from geopolitical tensions to environmental disruptions. One such tool—the Tumaini app, which predicts crop diseases in real time— illustrates how AI can help communities take preventative action. Similarly, digital platforms have transformed public engagement. Movements like #EndSARS demonstrate how grassroots advocacy can shape domestic and international discourse, influencing state behavior. Technology is increasingly a tool of both diplomacy and activism.
Economically, AI is transforming industries and labor markets, but the key question is: whose vision is driving this change? Inclusion must go beyond access. While the number of people with smartphones or otherwise able to access the internet is growing, the deeper challenge lies in who builds these systems, who sets the rules, and who governs the outcomes. We need local agency to shape how technologies are developed and used. Without inclusive infrastructure and digital literacy, economic inequality will deepen. Building future economies that are truly inclusive requires ethical design, public investment, and shared governance of these tools.
In the climate space, emerging technologies hold promise for both adaptation and mitigation. AI models can help smallholder farmers analyze soil conditions, weather trends, and pests, supporting smarter agricultural decisions and better food security. However, these tools must be rooted in local knowledge and tailored to context. Technology is not neutral—it has an environmental footprint. The energy and water consumption associated with AI, along with mounting e–waste, must be responsibly managed.
Ultimately, building resilience in the face of global challenges requires more than technological solutions. It demands inclusive governance, ethical frameworks, and sustained investment in infrastructure and education. When thoughtfully deployed, emerging technologies can help bridge divides, amplify citizen agency, and support more secure, adaptable, and just systems.
a global affairs media network
Powering diplomacy, equity, and climate action in a digital age
September 4, 2025
Emerging technologies are reshaping diplomacy, economics, and climate is becoming more pronounced. Tools are emerging to make these interactions more transparent, participatory, and effective—but resilience ultimately requires more than tech solutions, write Cheri–Leigh Erasmus and Khadijah Chang
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echnological innovation is reshaping how we build security and resilience across the diplomatic, economic, and climate spheres. Its role in diplomacy is becoming more pronounced as tools emerge that make governance more transparent and participatory. For example, Know Your Parliamentarian, developed through Accountability Lab’s HackCorruption project, provides citizens in Nepal with a centralized platform to access information about elected officials. This kind of data transparency enables civic actors to hold leaders accountable and strengthens democratic processes. At a global level, AI models trained on legislative records can help spot patterns and risks, supporting more responsive and informed diplomacy.
Emerging technologies also enhance decision making and risk response. AI–powered tools can detect and map complex threats, from geopolitical tensions to environmental disruptions. One such tool—the Tumaini app, which predicts crop diseases in real time— illustrates how AI can help communities take preventative action. Similarly, digital platforms have transformed public engagement. Movements like #EndSARS demonstrate how grassroots advocacy can shape domestic and international discourse, influencing state behavior. Technology is increasingly a tool of both diplomacy and activism.
Economically, AI is transforming industries and labor markets, but the key question is: whose vision is driving this change? Inclusion must go beyond access. While the number of people with smartphones or otherwise able to access the internet is growing, the deeper challenge lies in who builds these systems, who sets the rules, and who governs the outcomes. We need local agency to shape how technologies are developed and used. Without inclusive infrastructure and digital literacy, economic inequality will deepen. Building future economies that are truly inclusive requires ethical design, public investment, and shared governance of these tools.
In the climate space, emerging technologies hold promise for both adaptation and mitigation. AI models can help smallholder farmers analyze soil conditions, weather trends, and pests, supporting smarter agricultural decisions and better food security. However, these tools must be rooted in local knowledge and tailored to context. Technology is not neutral—it has an environmental footprint. The energy and water consumption associated with AI, along with mounting e–waste, must be responsibly managed.
Ultimately, building resilience in the face of global challenges requires more than technological solutions. It demands inclusive governance, ethical frameworks, and sustained investment in infrastructure and education. When thoughtfully deployed, emerging technologies can help bridge divides, amplify citizen agency, and support more secure, adaptable, and just systems.
