This is just a follow-up to the story I posted earlier about Secopex, the French security company that signed a deal with Somalia in regards to anti-piracy. It seems that money will be an issue for Secopex. I have posted the original article at all the major forums, asking for any clarity from the various professionals out there. So far, most have viewed this as a joke or just one more company talking a big game.
To break it down to it’s simplest form, Secopex has permission to do business in Somalia, but Somalia isn’t paying them one dime for the service. So where will the money come from? Donations, lots of donations. LOL. Namely from the UN or any companies that would like to use the services of Secopex, to secure a shipping lane through Somalia’s waters.
This sounds a lot like a company named Top Cat Marine Security, that tried doing the same thing awhile back. That company failed, yet they certainly talked a good game, and created quite a buzz.
So all eyes are on Secopex, and we’ll see if they can secure the donors necessary to do this. But to reiterate, these guys will not be hiring anytime soon. Also, if anyone from the company is reading this, we would love to hear from you about the matter. –Head Jundi
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Conflicting Reports Arise About Role of French Security Firm in Somalia
By Alisha Ryu
Nairobi
20 June 2008
The office of the president of Somalia’s transitional federal government says there have been misleading reports regarding an agreement President Abdullahi Yusuf signed last month with a private French military company. As VOA Correspondent Alisha Ryu reports from our East Africa Bureau in Nairobi, the firm says it has been given an exclusive, three-year mandate to provide maritime security and to train a Somali presidential guard unit. But President Yusuf’s office says he has not signed any such deal.
