KEY HIGHLIGHTS
Somalia has in the last few months been faced by frequent incidents of piracy along its coastal maritime.
In what seems as Taiwan government commitment to reach out the country facing Islamist militancy, humanitarian crisis and now the frequent ills of piracy on its Indian Ocean coast, Taiwan government in a memorandum of understanding with European Union, will fund establishment of high-tech surveillance system at a cost of $166,000.
U.S. maritime security solutions provider Oceans Beyond Piracy (OBP) has been contracted by the Taiwanese government on behalf of the European Union to establish the first of its kind, Somali coastal radar surveillance network.
SIGNIFICANCE OF COASTAL RADAR INSTALLATION
The Somali Maritime Communications Initiative (MCI) surveillance radar will greatly help Somalia secure the coastal maritime of the war-torn horn of Africa nation.
Maritime Communications Initiative (MCI) once completely installed will help monitor vessel movements, coordinate security operations tasks of the local coast guard as well the European Union-led international navies involved in the counter-piracy operations on the Indian Ocean coastline of Somalia.
The MCI surveillance system will operate from five maritime communications and safety centers; in the coastal cities of Berbera, Bosaso, Hobyo, Kismayo and the capital Mogadishu.
The joint maritime security initiative will help ensure the safety of local shipping routes and promote better port management practices in Somalia and fulfill the ultimate goal of securing the country’s troubled maritime.
