Professor of Politics and International Relations, University of Tripoli, Libya
Despite the common threats and challenges facing Arab countries, the existing frameworks for Arab national security remain fragmented and ineffective. Such a situation makes it more difficult for Arab countries to formulate a unified strategy to confront these challenges, especially as the pace and scope of foreign interventions escalate.
This study addresses the development of Arab national security in light of emerging challenges. Its key question is how to reform Arab national security to ensure its capability to face challenges and achieve the balance between national sovereignty and commitment to comprehensive Arab security. The study considers Arab national security a synthetic concept that includes military, economic, and social dimensions. It overlaps with the national security of each arab country.
The study assumes that the traditional framework focusing on state and military power in Arab national security is insufficient to confront emerging security threats. Instead, achieving regional stability is based on common linkages and a comprehensive, multidimensional approach that integrates economic, environmental, and societal considerations.
The study focuses on the period from the outbreak of the Arab Spring in 2011 to the end of 2024, considering what happened as a fundamental turning point in Arab politics. The study used historical and policy analysis methods.
The study uses the Regional Security Complex Theory by Barry Buzan and Ole Wæver, which states that regional security is linked to interdependence between states regarding threats or opportunities and the role of external factors. The human security theory also represents a suitable addition by focusing on new dimensions of Arab national security, including political, social, economic, and environmental issues. In contrast, constructivist theories enhance the study's point of view in analyzing the role of Arab identity and political discourse in shaping the concept of national security, focusing on the changes that occurred after the Arab Spring.
Finally, the study concluded that reforming Arab regional security is very possible. The study finds the need for such a possibility to happen are: 1) considering the challenges and threats on national and regional levels together, 2) considering the comprehensive approaches to strengthen linkages between national and regional security, 3) such trends have the potential to overcome the weaknesses in the status-quo of the Aran regional security, 4) all these emerging possibilities are aimed to create the security and stability in the Arab world.
Keywords: National security, regional security complex, Arab national security, Arab Spring, Arab League, Arab countries, Palestinian issue, Türkiye, Iran, Israel.
