DR. AHMAD AWAD BIN MUBARAK, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, YEMEN The war in Yemen has surpassed its seventh year since the Houthi militia launched it against the Yemeni people following the coup against legitimate authority. This war is dangerous not only because the Houthi militia is trying to seize power, but it is also seeking to change the nature of Yemeni society, to derail its future and that of the region by recruiting children on a large scale and indoctrinating young people to incite violence, perpetrate conflict and spread hatred between inhabitants of the same country. In addition, the Houthis…
Unipath
UNIPATH STAFF Concerned about cyberattacks on computer networks, Pakistan’s federal Cabinet approved the country’s first National Cyber Security Policy in July 2021. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication wrote the policy to protect the nation’s digital assets from cybercriminals and potential geopolitical rivals. Pakistan breaks the policy into a series of overlapping categories — legal, technical and organizational — to improve what the country’s information minister deemed an inadequate protection of devices connected to the internet. More than 65 million Pakistanis have internet service, and the country, like many around the world, is moving business and governmental services online.…
ISSAM ABBAS AMIN, Intelligence AND Security DIRECTORATE, IRAQI MINISTRY OF DEFENSE The intelligence community suffers under the weight of unrealistic expectations about preventing unforeseen events, especially those that target state sovereignty or internal security. An example of this was the two drone attacks on the Iraqi prime minister’s home on November 7, 2021. By its very nature, intelligence failure always raises questions about the competency of intelligence services and their working methods to prevent any security breach. The dilemma of intelligence is that it is constantly open to criticism. Even well-regarded intelligence services such as those of the United…
UNIPATH STAFF Unipath: Describe the duties of the Royal Jordanian Navy Col. Al-Jarrah: The Royal Navy is one of the Jordan Armed Forces’ three branches (land, air and sea) and complements the national defense system by playing a dual role — the military role of the Navy and the organizational and security role of the Coast Guard. It is considered the main maritime force and is primarily responsible for Jordanian maritime security, a mission it conducts through a number of duties. These include patrols to protect and guard Jordanian maritime borders to prevent infiltration and smuggling, naval inspections conducted by…
Unipath interviewed Brig. Gen. Ali Qanso, chief spokesman of the Lebanese Armed Forces. He described how the Lebanese military combats threats to its computer networks that could affect national security. Unipath: Cybersecurity has become an integral part of any state’s national security. What cyber threats does Lebanon face? Brig. Gen. Qanso: Lebanon is exposed to cyber threats from numerous actors, all of whom seek to breach our online systems, spy on communications and steal information. There are terrorist organizations that breach accounts to propagate extremist ideology among young people, with the aim of recruiting them, as well as the risk…
UNIPATH STAFF | Photos by Combined Task Force 151 The Maritime Security Center, made up of Omani military, security and civilian agencies, keeps territorial waters safe and stable. The center at Al-Murtafaa Garrison gets reports from those agencies and coordinates with the relevant authorities. Its specialized systems and equipment protect Omani waters 24 hours a day. As part of its duties, the center: Unifies efforts between the maritime security authorities. Provides the necessary capabilities and assets in terms of equipment, devices, reconnaissance aircraft, ships and boats. Develops procedures and plans to counter illegal activities and organized crime at ports, facilities…
UNIPATH STAFF The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) have activated a cross-country surveillance system to plug security gaps along the country’s border with Syria. Smuggling and infiltration have been sufficiently serious that Lebanon has maintained four regiments on its northern and eastern borders since 2009. To shut down smuggling routes, LAF also established a network of electronic monitoring towers linked to the Joint Operations and Information Center at the Lebanese Army Command. The system allows permanent day and night monitoring, while providing early warning to mobile units dispatched to confront violators, said Gen. Joseph Haddad, the head of Lebanon’s Joint Border…
Kyrgyzstan will benefit from donations from the European Union to support governmental reform, human rights initiatives and water security. In December 2021, the European Union approved financing worth 62 million euros as part of a four-year effort to aid Kyrgyzstan. In terms of governance and digitalization, the focus of the money will be on promoting and improving the rule of law and digital transformation. Human development, including improving the quality of education and promoting gender equality and human rights, is also part of the EU’s assistance for Bishkek. The EU also stressed Kyrgyzstan’s need to integrate and share water resources…
UNIPATH STAFF Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdymukhammedov committed his country to the pursuit of peace, security and diplomacy during an address to the United Nations General Assembly on September 21, 2021. President Berdymukhammedov announced that his country would host an international conference in Ashgabat in December 2021 titled “The Politics of Peace and Trust — the Basis of International Security, Stability, and Development.” His U.N. speech also proposed the creation of a zone of peace, trust and cooperation called “Central Asia — Caspian region.” He emphasized that Turkmenistan is interested in helping bring peace, harmony and unity to Afghanistan. In…
UNIPATH STAFF Yemen’s legitimate government protested the illegal execution of nine people, including a 17-year-old, that the Houthis blamed for killing one of their leaders. The nine had been held in arbitrary detention and were subjected to torture and other abuse after they were accused of involvement in the 2018 death of Saleh al-Samad. Warning that the Houthi militia will carry out more mass killings against innocent civilians, Yemeni Minister of Information Muammar Al-Eryani dismissed the extrajudicial executions as premeditated murder on fabricated charges. Al-Samad was killed along with six others in an airstrike conducted by the Coalition to…