France to Allow Private Security to Supplement Anti-Piracy Initiatives
France will allow private security forces to protect its shipping fleet against the threat of piracy, according to Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
According to Reuters, France is one of the main contributors to an international naval force that patrols the waters off Somalia in the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean to thwart pirate attacks. Ayrault says that the move would put the French shipping fleet on a better footing with European competitors, and the private security teams would complement the navy’s missions.