Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Ministry of Defence has announced the establishment of the Somali Anti Piracy Task Force Coast Guard, in association with Halliday Finch International, a Nairobi-based private security company. The new force will be part of the Somali National Security Forces, and will consist of land, sea and air components.
In a press release issued this week, the Minister of Defence, Hussein Arab Essa announced the following:
Somalia’s Transitional Federal Government (TFG) Ministry of Defence has announced the establishment of the Somali Anti Piracy Task Force Coast Guard, in association with Halliday Finch International, a Nairobi-based private security company. The new force will be part of the Somali National Security Forces, and will consist of land, sea and air components.
In a press release issued this week, the Minister of Defence, Hussein Arab Essa announced the following:
“With the help of several members of the international community and in partnership with Halliday Finch International we will deliver, under the auspices of the TFG Ministry of Defence and through the TFG Anti-Piracy Task Force, a National Coast Guard capability with immediate effect.
“In developing a national capability we recognise that we need the help and assistance of our regional partners and we will establish many of the training facilities and bases in their areas. Halliday Finch International will provide training and logistic support as well as other services.
“Now that the contract has been signed, Halliday Finch is seeking both national and private donors to fund the operation. Qatar, Mauritius, Nigeria and Angola have expressed interest, and the firm has already secured the $52 million required for the first year of operation.
“Halliday Finch predicts that the 10-year project will cost approximately $900 million, and the organisation hopes that some proportion of the funding will eventually come from domestic revenue streams, including the sale of fishing licenses.
“Puntland’s Administration is already on board, and has agreed to locating the initial training camp in Bosaso, according to Halliday Finch. In the first phase, 500 individuals (yet to be identified, but likely to come from the coastal communities) will be trained by international consultants and Somali security forces.
“The ultimate plan is to integrate the numerous maritime security efforts along the coast, which will require cooperation from the semi-autonomous region of Somaliland. Talks are ongoing, but coordination will likely be difficult given both Somaliland’s bid for secession and its immense pride over its own coastguard.”
The initiative is but the latest TFG bid to promote security on the Somali coastline. In 2010, the TFG contracted private security company Saracen International to train its anti-piracy task force. Following allegations that Saracen had violated a UN arms embargo, the contract was cancelled in February 2010. Saracen swiftly shifted focus to its operations in Puntland, where it works with the Farole administration.
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