The USA wants to act to promote private guards (update)

(BRUSSELS2) American ambassadors have received a briefing notice aimed at encouraging the use of armed private guards on merchant ships sailing off the coast of Somalia. A notice signed by Hillary Clinton, which testifies to a change of heart by the US Secretary of State, as rightly noted by Somalia Report which reveals the information.

Ambassadors are therefore requested to approach governments and/or members of the maritime industry in their country to encourage them to use Privately Contracted Armed Security Personnel (PCASP)", clearly private contractors. Although several countries have authorized the use of private guards on merchant ships flying their flag, this simple authorization is not enough to facilitate this use. Transit or port countries still need to authorize the carrying of weapons on these ships. Which is not the case everywhere. Thus Egypt – which controls the Suez Canal – prohibits the presence of weapons or armed guards. Or at least banned it. Because this ban has just been lifted – as reported Jean Guisnel (Le Point) – with supervision (notification by letter of the different weapons). Others restrict the use of these weapons in their port. Finally, several countries – such as Eritrea or Somalia – are subject to an international arms embargo.

A version officially confirmed by Andrew J. Shapiro, the assistant secretary of the Office of Political-Military Affairs, during a session attended by several diplomats from European countries (British, Dutch and Swedish in particular) which was held at the Secretariat of State, November 9. The reason for this change is simple, according to him: “ it is difficult for international naval forces in the region to protect every merchant ship; And so far, no ship with an armed security team has been hacked. Shapiro thus believes that the relative decline in the number of boat captures is due to “ the increasing use of armed security teams ».