Biotechnology –
Today, the U.S. and its allies and partners face two significant strategic challenges: the competition between major democratic and autocratic powers to shape the world order and transnational threats such as climate change, food insecurity, and infectious diseases, which
jeopardize global stability. Within this context, the U.S. seeks areas for international cooperation—and biotech may provide an answer. For better or worse, the biotech industry holds the potential to reshape society radically. As the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology (NSCEB) highlighted, “[t]here is an ongoing contest to determine who will shape global norms and values around research, development, and deployment of biotechnology. The United States must win to maintain Americans’ prosperity, health, and well-being and ensure
that biotechnologies' development aligns with democratic values.”
Recognizing the critical role of the biotechnology industry in national security, President Biden issued Executive Order (EO) 14081, “Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy,” in September 2022. This
EO has focused attention and resources on the biotechnology sector by investing $1 billion over the next five years to develop a U.S. bio-industrial manufacturing base and workforce; signaling the administration’s commitment to foster a thriving American bioeconomy.
New challenges necessitate fresh perspectives. Our world is more interconnected than at any other time in history, and the U.S. must explore new ways to collaborate with other nations on transnational issues that affect the global community. With its vast potential and transformative power, the biotech sector presents an opportunity to strengthen existing partnerships and form new ones. This paper argues how a unique combination of political, economic, social, and technological factors has created an opportunity for increased collaboration in biotechnology between the U.S., Argentina, and Brazil to benefit global health, democratic norms, and counter autocratic influence. Biotechnology can address shared challenges and strengthen partnerships with traditionally overlooked nations, enhancing U.S. security by addressing transnational concerns like human health and food security.
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