Articulação operacional no Sistema de Segurança Nacional para a garantia da ordem interna em Angola

Abstract

This Policy Paper analyzes the architecture of National Security in Angola, detailing how the State coordinates defense and the maintenance of internal order to protect citizens and sovereignty. The analysis highlights the operational coordination between the defense and security forces, emphasizing the need for technical and strategic cooperation in the face of hybrid threats and social crises. The paper explores the evolution of the concept of security, which has shifted from a purely military perspective to a multidimensional approach, assessing the challenges in maintaining internal order. Numerous studies identify challenges to security and internal order in Angola, associated with critical conditions, including the proliferation of illegal firearms among civilians; the increasing number of children, adolescents, and young people in socially vulnerable situations; the unregulated expansion of churches and religious sects, often linked to abusive practices and the manipulation of vulnerable individuals; rapid population growth and unplanned urbanization; and educational, moral, civic, and legal deficits that limit the exercise of informed citizenship. Additionally, the gradual rise of beliefs and practices related to witchcraft has fueled persecution, violence, and lynching in certain regions.

The paper results from a theoretical-conceptual review and a survey of doctrinal and bibliographic sources, producing an understanding of the structure of the National Security System in Angola, as well as the structural challenges to interoperability among institutions and bodies responsible for controlling and addressing internal threats and risks. Ultimately, the text argues that integrated governance and centralized command are fundamental to ensuring operational coordination. The author identifies structural challenges, such as the lack of interoperability and budgetary limitations, which hinder cooperation and alignment among the various defense and internal order institutions. To overcome these barriers, the paper advocates for the creation of shared command centers and the strengthening of strategic information sharing.