WORLD.OS - Rethinking International Cooperation in a Multiplex World

Julius Murke
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World.OS – Rethinking International Cooperation in a Multiplex World explores how international cooperation must evolve in a world where power is no longer concentrated, but distributed. As geopolitical tensions rise and technological competition reshapes global dynamics, traditional models of cooperation—based on aid, asymmetry, and static institutions—are reaching their limits. At the same time, countries across the world—often referred to as middle powers—are facing a shared challenge: how to build resilience, technological sovereignty, and political agency in a fragmented world?

Episodes

  1. Jun 4

    EU's Sovereign Tech Package - will we witness the emergence of Global European Tech Giants during the coming decade?

    The European Union’s new Sovereign Tech Package is a major industrial policy and economic security initiative designed to strengthen Europe’s capabilities in semiconductors, cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence, open-source software and the energy systems required for a more digital economy. In this episode, I explain what the package contains, why it represents an important shift in European policymaking and why it is still unlikely to achieve its objectives through an inward-looking approach alone. Technological sovereignty should not mean producing every technology within Europe. It should mean having credible alternatives, control over critical systems and the ability to build resilient ecosystems with trusted partners. The episode also explores the continued disconnect between Europe’s internal economic policy and its international cooperation agenda. Using the example of an open-source data mesh platform developed through cooperation in Africa, I argue that international partnerships should not remain an afterthought. They should become a central part of Europe’s technological sovereignty strategy.

  2. Jun 4

    Economic Security - If NATO was built to protect against rockets, what is the alliance that will protect against economic choke points?

    What does “economic security” actually mean — and why is it suddenly everywhere? In this episode, I take a deep dive into one of the most important shifts currently reshaping international cooperation, industrial policy, and geopolitics. From friend-shoring and de-risking to strategic autonomy and supply chain resilience, countries across the globe are increasingly treating technology, infrastructure, and global value chains as matters of national security. The episode explores the theoretical foundations of economic security, the concept of economic choke points, and how different powers — from the EU and the US to China and emerging economies — are responding to this new geo-economic landscape. I also discuss why development cooperation and trade liberalization may gradually give way to a new paradigm centered around economic security alliances, strategic partnerships, and industrial policy. If NATO was built to protect against rockets, what are the alliances that will protect against semiconductor supply chains, critical minerals, cloud infrastructure, and undersea cables? This episode is part of my broader exploration of partnership-based industrial policy and the future of international cooperation in an age where economic networks increasingly define geopolitical power.

  3. Jun 1

    Deep Dive into the concept of Partnership-Based Industrial Policy – Part 2: Geo-Economic Alliances

    Industrial policy is increasingly shaping the global economy. But there is a fundamental problem: while governments design industrial strategies at the national level, the industries they seek to build operate through deeply international networks of supply chains, innovation ecosystems, talent flows, data infrastructures, and markets. In this second part of the deep dive on partnership-based industrial policy, I explore why national industrial policy alone may be insufficient in an interconnected world—and why geo-economic alliances could become one of the defining policy innovations of the coming decades. The episode examines the risks of an uncoordinated industrial policy era, including subsidy races, trade fragmentation, competing technological standards, and growing inequalities between major powers and developing economies. It argues that many countries simply lack the fiscal resources, technological depth, market size, or geopolitical leverage to compete alone. The episode covers: • Why modern industrial ecosystems are fundamentally international• The limitations and unintended consequences of purely national industrial policies• The growing risks of subsidy races, economic fragmentation, and technological blocs• Why emerging economies face particular challenges in the new industrial policy landscape• Lessons from Airbus and other examples of coordinated industrial development• The emergence of a third pillar of economic security: Partnering• How industrial alliances can strengthen protection, promotion, and innovation simultaneously• Why Europe and the Global South have a growing convergence of interests in industrial cooperation The episode then explores what partnership-based industrial policy could look like in practice through a detailed overview of different partnership models: • Supply chain partnerships• Production partnerships• Demand and procurement partnerships• Innovation partnerships• Data partnerships and trusted data spaces• Talent partnerships and shared skills ecosystems• Standards and regulatory partnerships• Financial partnerships and joint investment mechanisms• Resilience partnerships for economic security Finally, the episode argues that international cooperation itself must adapt to the realities of a geo-economic world. Economic security, industrial capabilities, technology development, innovation systems, and strategic value chains are becoming increasingly central to international partnerships. The key message is simple: Partnerships can no longer be treated as an add-on to economic policy. If industrial policy is becoming one of the defining instruments of geo-economic competition, partnerships must become a core operating principle of economic security and industrial strategy. The future may not belong to those who spend the most on industrial policy—but to those who build the strongest alliances. World.OS – Rethinking International Cooperation in a Multiplex World explores how economic security, technology, industrial strategy, and international cooperation are reshaping the global order. #IndustrialPolicy #EconomicSecurity #Geoeconomics #IndustrialStrategy #Partnerships #GlobalSouth #Innovation #TechnologyPolicy #EconomicSecurityStrategy #InternationalCooperation #WorldOSPodcast

  4. Jun 1

    Deep Dive into the concept of partnership-based industrial policy - Part 1: The return of industrial policy

    Industrial policy is back. From the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and CHIPS Act to Europe's Net-Zero Industry Act and China's Made in China 2025 strategy, governments around the world are once again actively shaping markets, supporting strategic industries, and competing for technological leadership. But what exactly is industrial policy? Why has it returned after decades of market-oriented economic thinking? And what does its resurgence tell us about the changing nature of the global economy? In this first episode of a two-part deep dive, I explore the intellectual and political foundations of the new industrial policy era. We examine the shift away from ordoliberal and market-centered approaches, the economic rationale behind government intervention, and the growing focus on economic security, technological sovereignty, supply chain resilience, and strategic industries. The episode covers: • Why industrial policy has returned across the United States, Europe, China, India, and Brazil • The economic theory behind industrial policy and market failures • The evolution from import substitution to modern industrial strategy • The concept of embedded autonomy and state-business cooperation • The main instruments of industrial policy, from subsidies and public procurement to export controls and technology transfer mechanisms • Evidence that governments are increasingly moving beyond purely market-correcting policies • A detailed look at major industrial policy initiatives including the Inflation Reduction Act, CHIPS and Science Act, European Chips Act, Net-Zero Industry Act, Critical Raw Materials Act, Made in China 2025, India's Production Linked Incentive Scheme, and Brazil's Nova Indústria Brasil Most importantly, this episode introduces a central contradiction of our time: While industrial policy is increasingly designed as a national project, the industries it seeks to shape remain deeply international. Understanding this contradiction is essential for understanding the future of economic policy—and it sets the stage for Part 2, where we explore why the next evolution of industrial policy may be partnership-based industrial policy.

  5. May 24

    End of Development - a new approach to international cooperation beyond Aid and Global Public Goods

    In this episode Julius Murke explores why the traditional concept of “development” no longer fits the realities of a multipolar and geoeconomic world. Drawing from his experience in global health, digital infrastructure, and international cooperation, he argues that today’s geopolitical transformation is not reducing the need for international partnerships — it is fundamentally changing their purpose. As industrial policy, technological sovereignty, economic security, and resilient supply chains return to the center of global politics, international cooperation can no longer be understood primarily through the lens of donor-recipient relationships. Instead, a new model is emerging: one based on strategic partnerships, shared technological capabilities, and mutual interests. The episode examines: Why the category of “developing countries” has become analytically outdatedHow geoeconomics is reshaping international cooperationWhy Europe needs new forms of strategic partnershipsThe growing geopolitical role of digital infrastructure and technology ecosystemsWhy future international cooperation will increasingly revolve around economic resilience and shared industrial capacityThis episode is both a critique of outdated development paradigms and a call to rethink international cooperation for a world shaped by geopolitical competition, technological transformation, and strategic interdependence. Hosted by Julius Murke — policy advisor, medical doctor, and software project manager working in digital health and international cooperation in Cameroon.

  6. Mar 25

    Enter international industrial partnerships

    In this episode, I explore why international cooperation needs to be fundamentally rethought in a world where power, technology, and economic dependencies are rapidly shifting. I argue that we are moving beyond traditional models of development cooperation, trade, and security policy—and toward something more integrated: a form of partnership built around joint industrial and technological development. At the center of this episode is the idea of “collaborative industrial policy.” Not as a national strategy, but as a shared approach between middle powers and countries across the global majority. The goal is not technology transfer or market access alone, but the joint creation of value—through co-investment, shared standards, and interconnected production systems. I walk through a practical framework for understanding different types of technology partnerships and analyze real-world examples such as Airbus, SEMATECH, and the European Battery Alliance to show what works, what doesn’t, and why. Finally, I focus on a key practical question: how do we actually prioritize areas for collaboration? I outline a pragmatic approach based on identifying critical dependencies, key technologies, and aligned interests—while working closely with the private sector and building partnerships that are economically viable for all sides. This episode is about moving from fragmented cooperation to shared capability. From isolated projects to ecosystems. And from competition alone to strategic collaboration in shaping the technologies that will define the future.

  7. Mar 25

    Rethinking Trade: Why the WTO Is Stalling—and What Comes Next

    Global trade is no longer what it used to be. As the WTO Ministerial Conference unfolds in Yaoundé, the gap between formal negotiations and real-world economic shifts is becoming impossible to ignore. While talks remain stuck on familiar issues—agriculture, digital trade, development—the real transformation of global trade is happening elsewhere: in industrial policy, supply chains, and strategic partnerships. In this episode, I explore why trust in the global trading system is eroding—and why this is a challenge for export-driven economies and countries seeking to integrate into global markets. I explain how rising subsidies, import restrictions, and geopolitical competition—especially between the US and China—are creating a new dynamic that risks fragmenting the global economy. But I also show why this moment creates new opportunities for middle powers and the global majority to reshape their role. At the center of the episode is a concrete proposal: objective-driven trade agreements. Instead of negotiating rules line by line, countries align on shared goals—on investment, sustainability, and value creation—and adapt policies together to achieve them. The question is no longer whether globalization continues—but how it is redesigned. Can trade become a tool for building shared industrial ecosystems, rather than a battlefield of competing interests?

  8. Mar 25

    Pilot - At the Table or on the Menu: Rethinking International Cooperation

    Global power is shifting—and for many countries, the stakes are rising fast. In this opening episode of World.OS, I take Mark Carney’s warning seriously: middle powers must act together, or risk being sidelined in a world increasingly shaped by technological competition and geopolitical fragmentation. But this is not just a story about risk. It is a story about opportunity. Across Europe and the Global Majority, a new alignment of interests is emerging—around technological sovereignty, economic resilience, and the need for new forms of partnership. This episode argues that the future of international cooperation lies in industrial and technological partnerships that move beyond aid and toward shared value creation. Blending strategic insight with real-world experience, World.OS sets out to answer a central question:How do we build cooperation that actually works in today’s world?

  • 8 Episodes

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World.OS – Rethinking International Cooperation in a Multiplex World explores how international cooperation must evolve in a world where power is no longer concentrated, but distributed. As geopolitical tensions rise and technological competition reshapes global dynamics, traditional models of cooperation—based on aid, asymmetry, and static institutions—are reaching their limits. At the same time, countries across the world—often referred to as middle powers—are facing a shared challenge: how to build resilience, technological sovereignty, and political agency in a fragmented world?

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