Tech diplomacy and Critical Technologies: Case of the LEO satellite internet

In recent years, a new dimension of International Relations has begun to emerge. It involves not only the traditional actors of diplomacy, but also fosters dialogue between states and the private tech industry. This new form of interaction is referred to as “Tech Diplomacy” or (increasingly) Techplomacy. This emergent way of practicing International Relations was spurred by the unprecedented influence induced by the giant Technological Companies. It seeks to engage those companies while taking into consideration the new power structures they shape, the geopolitics shifts they engender and the perspectives of the power games revolving around key technologies these firms own. In this paper, we shed light on the need to leap into a new era of conducting International Relations, recognizing the obsolescence of some of the existing diplomatic frameworks and embracing a complex reality for which we lack the codes.