Topic: 2024-Private Military Contractors
Country: Mozambique
Delegate Name: Abigail Kearney
Mozambique as a whole firmly supports the use of private military contractors and strongly opposes the idea of limitations on, or oppression of, private military contractors. The government of Mozambique believes that limiting private military contractors will harm least-developed countries and the billions of people who reside in them. Mozambique also strongly agrees with the current laws regarding the management of private military contractors and suggests that we continue to uphold these laws and regulations without major changes. Mozambique suggests that we allow countries to reasonably determine how they shall govern private military contractors on their own soil. Any laws limiting or restricting private military contractors essentially promote colonialism, racism, inequality, and the oppression of those who live in least-developed countries.
Private military contractors are a vital way for least-developed countries to combat unrest and large-scale violence inside and outside of their countries. Currently, 45 countries are considered to be least-developed. Only seven countries have graduated from the least-developed status since the classification was created. Of the ten lowest developed countries, eight have dealt with large-scale violence, low education rates, and some sort of shortage of essential resources. This is where private military contractors come into play. They provide a stable military base for least-developed countries to grow. Limiting private military contractors would take away these countries’ only military resources and leave them at the mercy of surrounding countries with any amount of military support. This creates defensive vulnerabilities for least-developed countries and effectively promotes large-scale violence against vulnerable civilian populations.
Private military contractors are also able to provide much-needed humanitarian relief and aid. Limiting the actions or existence of private military contractors promotes inequality and causes irreparable harm to least-developed countries. Over the last five years, humanitarian organizations have increased their contracting of security and security-related services and companies. Also, all major humanitarian aid organizations have reported using armed guards in some sort of context. This is because there are major concerns about threats against aid workers and organizations that can only be solved through increased protection. Protection often comes in the form of private military contractors. Limiting private military contractors will actively hinder humanitarian aid operations. This is an especially important point to consider because of the influx of humanitarian crises in recent years.
This matter is of great importance and will affect the lives and liberties of millions of citizens around the globe. Limits on private military contractors create risk in already unstable regions. It is integral for countries that support democracy and equality to come together on this issue and preserve the rights of countries to use private military contractors.
Works Cited:
UNCTAD. (2023, December). UN List of Least Developed Countries. Unctad.org; United Nations. https://unctad.org/topic/least-developed-countries/list
Private Military Contractors | Center for International Maritime Security. (n.d.). https://cimsec.org/publications/compendiums/2015-2/private-military-contractors/
Trends in private security contracting by humanitarians. (n.d.). Retrieved November 24, 2024, from https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/96599/hpgbrief_33.pdf
