Cabinet Updated on the Progress of Developing a National Security Framework

Office of the National Security Advisor (NSA) at the President’s Office has held an in-progress review, with the Cabinet, of developing a national security framework for the Maldives.

The meeting held at the President’s Office today, was attended by President Mohamed Nasheed, Vice President Dr Mohamed Waheed and the members of the Cabinet.

The aim of today’s in-progress review session is to brief the Cabinet on the progress of the work to develop a national security framework and seek higher policy and strategic level guidance.

In his introductory remarks of the meeting, National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal noted that “formulating a comprehensive national security policy, which is deeply rooted in perceptions of the nation’s interests and of how best these may be protected, projected and promoted, have been a top priority and thus remains a key effort” of the government.

As part of the efforts to develop a national security framework, Office of the NSA has brought together security practitioners from the government stakeholders, experts and academics.

Office of the NSA has organized two workshops on developing a national security framework for the Maldives with the support of Defence Institution Reform Initiatives of the United States.

The National Security Advisor said the efforts to develop a comprehensive national security policy have “stimulated strategic analysis at national policy level and understanding of major security trends and challenges in the country.”

There are two primary components of the National Security Framework. The component that addresses national polices on various security issues and the segment that outlines the institutional structure of the national security endeavor.

National Security Advisor Ameen Faisal revealed that as announced by the President in his presidential address to the People’s Majlis this year, the Office of NSA has completed a maritime security policy and proposed to the President.

“We have constructed the ground works for a potential National Crime Prevention Policy, Industrial Security Policy guided strategy as well as a National Counter-terrorism Strategy, he added.

Further, the National Security Advisor hailed the establishment of the first ever Office of the NSA along with various advisory committees as a milestone that “have further augmented the efforts to create and institutionalize the working structure for national security.”