Mohamed Hegazy, the Former Assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt, has written a major proposal for a long term basis for peace in the Middle East. Published in Egypt’s Ahram Online June 12, Hegazy calls for a “framework for collective security and cooperation” for the entire Arab world and Southwest Asia. He calls for “a broad strategic vision that places stability, development, cooperation, and mutual interests at the center of a new Middle Eastern equation,” the objective being “not merely to break political deadlock, but to move from a paradigm of conflict management to one of comprehensive regional peacebuilding.” “Sustainable security is not achieved solely through balances of power, but through institutions of cooperation, mechanisms for dialogue, and frameworks for managing differences,” he writes.
He lists five “fundamental pillars,” beginning with a cessation of the war in Gaza, preservation of Palestine’s territory, and a just settlement of a two-state solution. Additionally, Hegazy proposes “Establishing a regional framework for collective security and cooperation encompassing Nile Basin water security, Red Sea security, Gulf security, and Eastern Mediterranean security,” and “Linking security with economic development, regional integration, and shared interests to achieve sustainable stability for all.”
Hegazy then clarifies his idea of peacebuilding: “In the twenty-first century, security is increasingly linked to food security, water security, energy security, supply chains, and economic stability.” The UN and other global actors have “emphasized that sustainable development and political stability are inseparable,” he notes, adding that “the concept reflects the recognition that challenges related to water, energy, and food are no longer separate issues but interconnected dimensions of a single strategic equation.” Southwest Asia, he adds, “possesses significant untapped opportunities in economic integration and cross-border infrastructure. Expanding regional economic cooperation can therefore become one of the principal foundations of long-term security and stability.”
