Illuminating Complex Environments
Our Intelligence Support Activities bridge the gap between operational challenges in complex environments and informed decision-making. Founded to address the critical need for deep contextual understanding in remote and complex areas of operation, Vates empowers government and select corporate customers with actionable intelligence and insights into local human terrain and dynamic environments.
Vates founders have been working on the ground in Somalia and throughout Sub-Saharan Africa since 2009 and are Subject Matter Experts on Somalia Violent Extremist Organisations (VEOs) – al-Shabaab and Islamic State Somalia (IS-S). Through our local partners and relationships we have long-standing links into local governments and security agencies in Somalia and throughout East and Sub-Saharan Africa with active field networks, including areas under VEO influence and control.
Our Capabilities Include
Illuminating Complex Environments
- Tailored Intelligence Solutions: We deliver customised support to meet the unique needs of our customers, ensuring relevance and precision in every engagement. Our client list includes embassies, governments and select corporate customers.
- Recurring Analytical Products: We produce weekly country reports providing in-depth security and political analysis, near-term threat forecasts, and detailed assessments of key incidents and events. These analytical products assist organisations to keep abreast of the latest countrywide security and political developments, providing decision-makers with insight and understanding on key events.
- Counterterrorism Analysis and Assessments: Our analysts produce bespoke counterterrorism assessments enabled by covert collection capabilities and advanced analytical tradecraft. With field networks able to access areas under al-Shabaab and Islamic State influence and control, we deliver granular analysis on VEO capabilities, operational activities, and emerging threats not available through open sources.
- Violent Extremist Organisation (VEO) Analysis: Our analysts are subject matter experts on al-Shabaab and Islamic State Somalia, providing in-depth analysis of VEO capabilities, intentions, tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), and operational activities across the Horn of Africa.
- Due Diligence Support: We provide intelligence-led due diligence support for strategic operations in challenging environments, leveraging our field networks and analytical capabilities to identify risks and inform decision-making for investments and partnerships.
- Predictive Insights: Leveraging advanced tradecraft and analytical techniques, we offer foresight into emerging trends and potential developments, enabling proactive decision-making.
- Proprietary Incident Database: Our controlled database for verified countrywide security incidents enables high-quality quantitative analysis not typically available outside military or government analytical cells.
- Geospatial Analysis (GIS): We employ geographic information system specialists who geocode incidents to neighbourhood level and exact locations where possible, enabling detailed analytics for journey management, operational planning, and trend analysis with heat mapping.
- In-Depth Contextual Analysis: We provide comprehensive assessments of local environments, decoding cultural, social, and political dynamics to enhance operational awareness.
- OSINT and Real-Time Reporting: Our team produces daily open-source intelligence (OSINT) summaries, incident alerts for significant activities and detailed intelligence summaries with mapping for incidents impacting client operations. Our 24/7 focus on the region enables near real-time verified threat and incident reporting.
- Event Interpretation and Impact Assessment: Our experts analyse incidents and events to uncover their significance, evaluate their potential impact on operations, and deliver clear, actionable implications.
Vates is committed to equipping decision-makers with the clarity and confidence to navigate the complex world in which we operate. Our proven expertise ensures our customers stay ahead in challenging operational landscapes worldwide.
