Personnel from Hasan International (Angola) Company are responsible for providing security service.
In recent years, the rapid economic development in Africa has brought about numerous business opportunities, attracting a large number of China-invested enterprises to take root there. However, despite the fact that the number of wars and conflicts has considerably decreased, these enterprises are still faced with local conflicts, unstable political situation and unsatisfactory public security in some countries. Thus, how to avoid security risks is one of the required courses for enterprises in Africa.
Timely Evacuation from Sensitive Areas
On Mar. 21, military coup d'etat took place in Mali, a country of western Africa, and Chen Shijun, the Chief Delegate of Sinohydro Corporation in Mali, was in Bamako, Capital of Mali, at that time. “Soldiers get off the trucks and begin to set up road barricade,” recalled Chen. After seeing this situation outside the National TV Station of République du Mali, he immediately contacted with Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in République du Mali, and notified the Corporation, so that they started related procedures and left the sensitive area.
“I have been in Mali for two or three years, and the coup is beyond my expectation for I have always thought that the political situation here is stable,” said Chen. When the event took place, the Terminal of Bamako Senou International Airport undertaken by the Corporation was under construction. For the airport was a sensitive area, he immediately notified the project personnel of evacuation. “We have various sources, and the Project Manager in the Airport had warned the personnel before the coup,” said Chen Shijun, who, therefore, reminded the Project Dept. on that very day to pay close attention to all situations. And the project personnel had barely left the Airport when the soldiers headed for and later blockaded the Airport.
Because of the coup, most projects undertaken by Sinohydro Corporation in Mali were suspended, and the better part of the Chinese employees had been evacuated. According to the plan, evacuation by air would be the first choice if the Airport was open to the public. And employees were also provided with visas to the neighboring countries like Senegal, Guinea and Mauritania, in case of evacuation by land required.
The number of working personnel from China in Mali was once up to 400, and most had been evacuated by the mid April, only about 170 staying there. Among all projects undertaken, that located in Région de Kayes near Senegal was the only one still under construction. In addition to the Chinese employees less than 20, the Owner designated 15 military policemen to the construction site from security considerations. And personnel responsible for channel dredging in Région de Ségou in the north left for the Capital, and the equipment at the campsite were kept by the security personnel and military policemen employed by the Owner.
“Sinohydro Corporation undertakes projects in Africa at an early time and has undergone coup and insurrection in other countries; therefore, great importance has been attached to security,” introduced Chen. The Corporation will invite some foreign company specializing in security consultancy before competitive bidding; and if the destination is a high-risk area, the Corporation will give priority to security issues during negotiation and require the Owner to provide security measures.
Three-level Early-warning Mechanism for Security
“I have been here for more than 4 years, and no severe public security events have taken place,” said Wu Shenggen, General Manager of Congo Infrastructure Construction Management Branch Company of China Railway Group Limited. The projects undertaken are mainly located in Kinshasa, the Capital of Congo, and Province du Katanga in the southeast of Congo, and more than 300 Chinese employees take part in the infrastructure construction.
Wu said that thieveries are frequent on construction sites in Congo and sometimes even the underground cables are dug out. Last year, before the general election in Congo, a tipper of the Company was burned. “Although it is impossible to eliminate the thieveries, the public security in Kinshasa and Province du Katanga is acceptable as a whole.”
When it comes to the security measures taken by the Company, Wu expressed that each Project Dept. has developed security requirements. For example, employees are not allowed to go out alone at night or stay out overnight. And the Company and construction sites are under 24-hour guard of security personnel and policemen employed and designated by the Company and local governments in Congo, respectively.
In addition, China Railway Group Limited also formulates different emergency response plans based on the specific conditions in each country. Wu said that the early-warning mechanism of the Company is divided into 3 levels, i.e. blue, orange and red. In case of a group event, the Company will start the blue early-warning. Under this circumstance, sufficient materials for living are stored, including food, water, gasoline and diesel oil that can last for one week to one month, and effective communication will be guaranteed. In December last year, parade and turbulence occurred after the general election and someone threatened to do something destructive, and the Company started the orange early-warning. On this occasion, employees were asked to stay in the stipulated areas and sufficient materials were stored. In case of any conflicts or severer security events, the Company will start the red early-warning. Wu also said that the Company has assigned qualified personnel to take applicable measures under different early-warning conditions.
Establishment of Three-dimensional Protection System
“The Company exercises great care in dealing with security issues overseas, as if threading on thin ice.” said Cui Jiming, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of Southern Africa of CITIC Construction Co., Ltd. in Angola. Although the political situation here is relatively stable, the public security events still occur from time to time.
Following CITIC Construction Co., Ltd., 28 China-invested enterprises have undertaken Kilamba Kiaxi Project, the largest housing project in Angola so far. The Project, covering 8.8km2, is a magnificent modern district with complete supporting facilities and more than 710 buildings, and more than 17,000 people are employed from China and locally. From the beginning of this year, the Company has concluded contracts on housing projects in succession (amounting to 100,000 houses), and these project are located on 22 plots in 14 provinces of Angola.
For security considerations, CITIC Construction Co., Ltd. stipulated under the Contract that the Owner shall provide security guarantee. And Kilamba Kiaxi Construction Site is under the guard of 400 policemen for 24 hours. From March to June last year, the Company underwent the severest public security. Employees got injured in a gun robbery in Luanda. Afterwards, the Company put forward the security management concept of “Security and Stability First” and established a Security Dept. In addition, the Company provides training on prevention of terrorist attack and robbery under arms for designated personnel, and offers each Project Dept. with corresponding CD and teaching material.
CITIC Construction Co., Ltd. established a three-dimensional protection system from last June, including fence set up outside the campsites, ditch under the fences, dogs kept in the campsites, monitoring and patrolling of security personnel employed by the Company and installation of electronic-camera. And Cui said that this is a protection system integrating human resources, material resources, dogs and technologies.
Cui also expressed that with more and more projects undertaken by the Company and more and more material flow, people, and cash flow to the local community, the Company now is faced with bigger challenges in public security. At the beginning of this year, the Company held a special security meeting, which requires all employees to strengthen their security awareness, including public security, production security and food security.
“After the Civil War in Angola, a large number of guns are kept by the ordinary people. In addition, the local unemployment rate is high and the gap between the rich and the poor is large, leading to the frequent occurrence of robbery under arms,” said Yang Xiaoping, Deputy General Manager of Hasan International (Angola) Company.
As a private company, Hasan International has no way to get protection from soldiers or policemen designated by Angolan Government. Therefore, the Company specially establishes the Public Security Management Dept. and invites professionals to give related training, providing security guard for the 13 project departments and 20 construction campsites in Angola. And 2 patrol parties are also built, and the security personnel are provided with guns. In addition, infrared cameras, acoustic alarms, etc. are installed outside the campsites of each Project Dept.
In order to strengthen self-protection and offer help to other China-invested enterprises, Hasan International establishes a Security Company through cooperation with Angolan Police Headquarters, employs the local youth and veterans, and provide them with training and guns, bullet-proof vests and interphones. And a Flexible Response Team is established by the Security Company to fight against any robbery under arms reported. The security personnel responsible for the Headquarters Base of the Company had 3 gunfights with the gangsters last year. They not only fought off the gangsters, but also rescued one Chinese worker kidnapped.
Yang Xiaoping said that the Company also designates the interpreters to read the local newspapers and collect information on community situation and political situation; and the business personnel and publicists also actively collect useful information so as to make judgment on current situation and work out effective security deployment immediately. In the turbulent period in Western Asia and Northern Africa last year, Angola also underwent small-scale parade and demonstration and beating, smashing and looting events. The Company made a series of plans and even worked out the detailed evacuation plan in case of any uncontrollable events, which not only guaranteed the normal operation of the Company, but also reassured the employees. Finally, the Company successfully weathered the complicated situation in Angola.
“Mozambique enjoys social stability and favorable public security,” said Ni Heyou, General Manager of Huaan (Mozambique) Co., Ltd., who went to Mozambique in 2003 and feel that people there are plain and sincere, but thievery and robbery occur from time to time.
Huaan (Mozambique) Co., Ltd., an overseas subsidiary of Anhui Foreign Economic Construction (Group) Co., Ltd., is mainly engaged in contracting of project, investment, etc. in Mozambique, and has undertaken the construction of National Stadium of Mozambique, Maputo International Airport and Office of the President. There are more than 500 Chinese employees and nearly 800 people are employed locally.
Ni Heyou said that employees are provided with training on security before they go abroad and are required to comply with the local laws and regulations. In addition, employees are required to ask for leave in the country where the project is located and accompanied by at least another 2 persons, and they shall let their managers know where they are going and when they will come back.
Security personnel are employed locally for 24-hour guard of all construction sites of Huaan (Mozambique) Co., Ltd., and guns are provided if necessary. There are more than 20 members in the Security Team and the salary for each is over USD 600 per month. “Such expenditure is worthwhile,” said Ni Heyou, who considers security as the most important factor.
During interview in Mozambique, our Reporter found that quite a few employees of Huaan (Mozambique) Co., Ltd. can communicate with the local people in Portuguese fluently although they were not majoring in Portuguese in China, and some even can work as an interpreter or translator. Ni Heyou said that this is because the Company provides training on Portuguese, such as Spoken Portuguese 300 Expressions, which will not only facilitate their work, but also promote their friendship with the local employees, reduce possible conflicts with the local residents and minimize potential security risks. (Source: People’s Daily, 23rd Edition – May 9, 2012)