Significance of economic security in a changing global security context: The case of NATO initiatives, 2010- 2016.

Abstract

During the Cold War, security mainly revolved around high politics, issues of war, peace, nuclear arms, diplomacy and crisis management. Much emphasis was on the state as the all important referent object. Within this context North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established as a means to collective defence. The NATO military alliance established by the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) of April 4, 1949, sought to create a counterweight to Soviet armies stationed in Central and Eastern Europe solely depending on military means to achieve its ends. The organization has continued to exist beyond Cold War politics which constitute the greater part of its existence. NATO has made deliberate efforts to regenerate itself. The research analyses the significance of economic security in a changing global context by analyzing how NATO, a purely military entity at birth, has incorporated this dimension in its efforts. The study intended to ascertain how the economic dimension of security has emerged to be a pivotal security concern by analyzing how and why NATO has proven to be cognizant of these changes in the security context. The research methodology was qualitative in nature employing in-depth interviews, open ended questionnaires and documentary search as data gathering techniques. Data was analysed thematically. Security Communities theory was adopted as the research‟s theoretical framework. The study engages the concept of collective defence within the lenses of the theory of security communities. The study finds that NATO is a pluralistic security community whose interests and values are largely guided by the founding Washington treaty. The research learns that economic security has emerged to be a significant security concern for the alliance. The study concludes that in as much as economic security has gained prominence it does not supersede the military, social, or even environmental dimensions of security. The military security for instance still occupies central space in the security discourse. The study recommends that, NATO as well as individual states should continue to adapt to the changing security environment so as to retain relevance.