The 2024 Innovations Dialogue conference theme is Quantum Technologies and Their Implications for International Peace and Security. This topic is particularly timely, as the United Nations has declared 2025 the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. This global recognition highlights quantum science’s crucial contributions to technological advancement, sustainable development and equitable access to education and opportunities in this emerging field.
Launched in 2019 and organized by UNIDIR’s Security and Technology Programme, the Innovations Dialogue is one of our flagship annual events. It serves as a unique multi-stakeholder forum for examining developments in science and technology that have significant implications for international peace and security. Similarly established in 2019, GESDA is dedicated to addressing the intersection of science anticipation and global governance for multi-stakeholder action by bringing together experts from diverse geographical and professional backgrounds, including the diplomatic and policy communities, the scientific and technical sectors, industry, academia and civil society.
In an era of great scientific acceleration, quantum technology is rapidly becoming a strategic focus for many governments due to its potential to revolutionize information processing, communication and sensing. While most applications are still in the early stages of development, they have advanced significantly in recent years. Once confined to academic research, quantum technologies are now on the brink of commercialization, bringing profound implications for defense strategies and international security.
Given the multifaceted potential of quantum innovations, it is essential to comprehensively explore their possible impacts on global security, including their military applications and the resulting geopolitical dynamics. This urgency has been underscored in various international forums, including the UN Open-ended Working Group on the security of and in the use of information and communications technologies, where several Member States have raised concerns about emerging threats posed by quantum technologies. In his annual report on current developments in science and technology, the UN Secretary-General also highlighted these risks, emphasizing the need for broader dialogue involving states, technology experts, and international security scholars.
Following the success of the 2023 multi-stakeholder dialogue on quantum technologies hosted by UNIDIR with the participation of GESDA, the 2024 Innovations Dialogue will convene military, technical, legal and ethics experts to discuss further the implications of quantum computing, quantum communications and quantum sensing for international peace and security. Additionally, the conference will provide an opportunity to deliberate on the framework for future multilateral discussions on this complex issue.
