"Somalia is a projection of lawlessness on land out at sea," said Gilpin. "And therefore you have more organization among the clans to support and sustain piracy. You also have more organization out on the high seas with mother ships supplying and sustaining the skiffs. You also have a lot more organization in terms of financial flows with business communities in Yemen and Kenya and some in Somalia financing, supporting and facilitating the whole chain of piracy through to the ransom."
In the Gulf of Guinea, Gilpin says most pirates operate individually or in less organized groups of small boats.
"What they do share in common is a general trend toward non-lethality unless they feel that their lives are in danger because what both sets are after is the ransom," he said.
The U.S. private security firm MPRI last month won a $250-million contract from Equatorial Guinea to provide nationwide coastal surveillance against piracy.
hereL-3 Communications announced today that its MPRI division has been awarded a $58 million order with the government of Equatorial Guinea to establish a Maritime Security Enhancement Program (MSEP). This task order is the first part of a multi-year contract, with a potential value of approximately $250 million. The MSEP is designed to provide nationwide coastal surveillance coverage for the Republic of Equatorial Guinea.
“This important contract award represents a strategic opportunity to contribute not only to the vital maritime security of Equatorial Guinea, but also provides a thoughtful approach toward establishing long-term stability for the entire region,” said Jim Jackson, general manager for MPRI’s International Group.
The MSEP envisions completion of a surveillance site network and operations centers in Equatorial Guinea within three years. This would be followed up by two years of sustainment and maintenance support for an estimated contract total of five years.
hereShe quoted the MPRI representative as saying that Equatorial Guinea was "the Kuwait of the Gulf of Guinea" and, "a possible ‘Kuwait of Africa' with huge oil reserves" that was "US-friendly for both investment and security reasons."
The Pentagon has denied any plans to build a U.S. naval base in the area to guard oil facilities in the Gulf of Guinea, but its interest in the region is clear. As the political and security conditions of the Persian Gulf deteriorate, the availability and appeal of reliable, alternative sources of oil for the American market grows. African oil is emerging as a clear direction U.S policy should take to provide a secure source of energy."
hereHello!
I would like to present you with an overseas employment opportunity on our new Maritime Security Enhancement Program (MSEP) in Equatorial Guinea.
The MSEP will be a major maritime security program which will involve the establishment of a broad range of electronic security and surveillance systems, to include site preparation and limited construction, and providing training for the host nation personnel to employ, operate, and maintain the systems, to include communications and command & control functions.
I’m immediately seeking former senior military personnel to assume leadership positions of either the Chief of Training and Curriculum Developer for the MSEP to be hired the first week of January, 2010 . Candidates must possess the following criteria:
·Fluency in Castilian Spanish (read/write/speak)
·Experience in Maritime security preferably as a member of the Navy or Coast Guard. However, candidates with similar experience and backgrounds will be considered
·Demonstrated experience in systems operations, logistics, and formal professional training/instruction
Additionally, I’m seeking former military personnel to occupy supporting positions in the following areas of expertise:
·Security
·Search & Rescue
·Detainee Processing
·Information Technology
·Logistics/Maintenance
·Administration
These individuals would be hired in the early months of 2010.
here
