By Ayat el-Haddad
Member of parliamentary foreign relations committee
There is a balance between the role of the state in maintaining its national security and internal stability and preserving human rights.
Following thorough studies of the several concepts of national security, whether in foreign or Arab countries, I found that the national security concept has both a broad definition and a narrow definition, but some restrict themselves to the latter.
National security, in a broad perspective, could be defined as the state’s ability to protect its security, its citizens from falling into the hands of a foreign state, and to protect the values and customs of the state from external threats and not to be affected by negative globalisation.
It also refers to the state’s ability to develop, via securing all fields, foremost of which are the fields of economy, trade, and education.
When the state achieves self-sufficiency, it becomes secure against the risk of being captive to a foreign state, or external influences; hence the importance of knowing the factors that could threaten the national security of any country.
Such factors could be summarised in two main factors – social and economic – where the first is intended for counting the number of population, and the extent of their homogeneity and interconnectedness, and their level of education.
The second factor defines the state’s points of weakness, as from a military perspective state’s weaknesses, whether due to the flaw in its army and due to deficiencies in its armament, puts its national security at risk. The state’s reliance on a single country for armament could be a threatening element.
By presenting the concept of national security and the factors that impede it, we can explain how the enemy can attack the state and bring it down gradually through certain factors.
The main factors include the following. Undermining national cohesion, obstructing development, casting doubt on the state apparatus through rumour, and preventing the army from obtaining armaments, result in falling at the mercy of a foreign state top the list of these factors.
Such factors could be avoided through preserving the customs and traditions, keeping people unity and cohesion, and do not paying attention to any rumor that impedes work of state agencies, as well as working to achieve development in many fields such as education, economy, agriculture, industry, and trade spheres.
Those who follow President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and pursue the measures he adopts, including in the foremost adding one million benefiters to the Takaful and Karama programme, the Decent Life and the 100 Million Healthy Lives initiatives, show that he is working to achieve development and thus protect national security.
