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Edit 0 0 Sierra Leone Private Security Companies
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Private Security Companies Likely To Increase Activities In Sierra Leone Over Next Three To Five Years
Executive Summary
Wiki Home Extractive mineral and diamond mining, and timber industries especially are almost certain to Recent rely on the expertise of private security companies to defend physical assets and personnel Changes working in areas of the country currently lacking traditional police forces. Pages and Files
Due to of an improving business environment, persistent ineffective governance, and insufficient funding for public security forces, private security companies are likely to increase their current role in the Sierra Leone security sector over the next three to five years.
Members Private security companies (PSCs) and private military companies (PMCs) have a long history Manage and corporate principals. It is likely PSCs and PMCs will continue to play a key role in security Wiki in Sierra Leone stretching back to the country's founding as protectors of industrial operations
Discussion
sector reform in the country. The modern history of private security forces in Sierra Leone, particularly PMCs, began in 1995 when the government hired the British company Gurkah Search Wiki Security Guards (GSG) to fight the rebel Revolutionary United Front (RUF) forces which had overrun the diamond mines thereby strangling the governments revenues. GSG ultimately Home proved ineffective against the RUF and the government subsequently hired the now notorious About This Product South Africa-based Executive Outcomes (EO) to train and arm the national army, the Republic Final Reports of Sierra Leone Military Forces (RSLMF). Managed by EO, the RSLAF finally was able to Network Analysis reclaim the capital Freetown and the economically strategic Kono diamond mining district and SSR Model Sierra Rutile Mines. Although EO dissolved in 1999, a number of its affiliates continue to be Resources active in Sierra Leone, providing security services to commercial ventures. Contact Information The Sierra Leone Office of National Security estimates that about thirty PSCs currently operate in the country, but the actual number may be higher. The major players in Sierra Leone's private security sector likely are Mount Everest with approximately 1600 employees, Pentagon with 900 employees, and Hughes Security with nearly 800 employees. Total employment in the country's private security industry may be as high as 5000. The effects of globalization, the end in 2002 of Sierra Leone’s the long civil war, and an improving business climate have led transnational corporations to renew their interest in conducting business in Sierra Leone. Rising investor confidence, especially in the mining sector, has brought new revenues to Sierra Leone’s economy. Three-quarters of Sierra Leone currently is under contract to international mining companies for mineral exploration.
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20 million in 2001 to more than USD 142 million in 2006.(1) Unfortunately, the government of Sierra Leone is not likely to expand the current capacity of the national police force with sufficient speed to meet the security demands of transnational corporations over the next three to five years. Many extractive mining and timber companies, such as Sierra Leone’s second largest diamond exporter Koidu Holdings currently train and arm their own private security forces under agreement with the Sierra Leone government. A combination of national laws and UN rules effectively restrict private gun ownership, impeding the defensive capability of some private security firms. In a compromise with Koidu Holdings, the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) provided 23 armed officers to work alongside the Koidu’s private security force. Other companies contract the services of established private firms such as Dyncorp, MPRI, or Aegis Defense Services. Despite their profit-oriented motives and public concerns over accountability, PMCs almost certainly will continue to play a major role in security sector reform by providing much-needed professional training to national security forces. In February 2002, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office supported the ethical use of PMCs for industrial and even national defense purposes, citing the quick response of PMCs to crises and their relative low-cost when compared with regular national armed forces. In addition to augmenting official police force capacity and providing resources such as uniforms, supplies and communications equipment, PMC collaboration with Sierra Leone security forces likely will contribute to improved intelligence gathering, contributing to corporate and public security interests. Private military companies (PMCs) are distinguished from private security companies (PSCs) by their offensive capabilities, including military-grade training and armaments. There are over 150 private military companies worldwide operating in over 50 countries. The industry's earnings estimates are between USD 20 billion and USD 100 billion annually.
Additional Comments
None.
Additional References
1. Nation's Economy Beginning to Recover from Long War, The East African, 25 April 2006. (accessed through LexisNexis)
Source Reliability: 7 Analytic Confidence: 8 Primary Author: Vanessa Cooper
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