French Firm to Help Somalia Fight Pirates
Posted by Christina Mackenzie at 6/17/2008 4:59 AM CDT
Secopex, a privately owned French company which provides security services, has signed a 50-100-million ($75-150-million) contract annually over the next three years to help Somali authorities secure the Horn of Africa's coast which has been plagued by mounting pirate activity.
Secopex, a privately owned French security provider has won a contract worth 50-100-million-euros ($75-150-million) annually for three years to help Somali authorities secure the Horn of Africa's coast which has been plagued by mounting pirate activity.
You may remember how the French luxury yacht Ponant was taken hostage by Somali pirates in April but all 30 crew members were released unharmed after a French special forces operation.
This incident “played a part” in signing the deal, Pierre Marziali, CEO of Secopex, tells AFP.
Marziali says once his company had audited existing facilities in Somalia, it would set up a "unified coastguard, creating a comprehensive coastguard information system" and form a special bodyguard for Somali President Abdullahi Yusuf Ahmed.
"These measures mean we can offer a concrete response to any armed attack," he says, adding that any pirate attack would be met with "a return of fire."
"The economic facet of this contract is also important for Somalia, victim not just of pirates but also the victim of huge pillaging of its natural fish stocks off its coastline," he said