Topic: 2024-Private Military Contractors
Country: Ecuador
Delegate Name: Hunter Moore
The Republic of Ecuador acknowledges the threat that private military companies pose to human rights and political stability across the globe. While private military companies, which shall henceforth be referred to as PMCs, can be helpful in the training of national security and law enforcement forces, no private company should be allowed to wield as much military power that many PMCs do at the present moment. In addition to its unconditional support of previous international efforts in combating mercenaries, like the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries and the Montreux Document, the Republic of Ecuador stands firm in its belief that PMCs currently pose a risk to many nation’s stability and sovereignty.
While the Republic of Ecuador enjoys stability in the modern day, the history of Latin America shows that the inclusion of more unrestrained armed actors would do nothing but harm to regional stability. With anti-cartel efforts still ongoing in Ecuador and neighboring countries, adding forces motivated by profit rather than public good would only fuel instability and divert funds from important government operations and programs. National armies and law enforcement agencies should be the main combative force in any government initiative, with PMCs occupying only training or static security roles.
The Republic of Ecuador supports the creation of a legally binding international regulatory framework, building upon earlier UN initiatives, to regulate private military companies. PMCs must be expected to uphold their corporate responsibility to respect human rights, as outlined in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. As long as they respect the human rights of all peoples and cooperate with regulatory efforts, PMCs will be a force of security rather than oppression.
