Topic: 2024-Private Military Contractors
Country: France
Delegate Name: Vincent DelRosso
Great Lakes Invitational Model United Nations Conference
Delegation of France
Disarmament and International Security Committee
Private Military Contractors
Through recent history, private military contractors (PMCs) have posed a threat against much of the peace and safety that the United Nations strives to reach. This concern comes from many reasons, one being the challenge posed to state sovereignty. One reason for the recent growth of PMCs is a change from companies acting as mere militias to major factions in zones of conflict. When this is paired with most PMCs working alongside developing nations in conflict, these conditions are prime for the creation of major struggles in power at a national level. There are some cases where a nation may employ a PMC yet will develop a reliance and become overly dependent on the support from a PMC, which can create a power struggle, accompanied by more conflict on top of the preexisting issues (Growing). Another major issue that accompanies this situation is the lack of accountability and regulations for private groups. Unlike a traditional national military, which acts under a federal body, PMCs are just that, private companies. These companies have no national regulations to abide by and, at best, have a loose charter to align with. This combination puts private military companies in an international ‘grey area’ making them borderline impossible to regulate. These legal vacuums created are unfortunately a hotspot for many human rights violations, including war crimes, sexual exploitation, and immoral execution via torture methods. (Working)
The Delegation of France sees these significant issues not just at an international level but also in relation to our own domestic affairs. In France, mercenaryism, or the individual employment of mercenaries with the intent of personal gain, is seen as a crime. While similar, Private miliary contractors in France are considered legal, as most companies are employed out of a need for defense. (Private) Yet the legal framework behind PMCs in France is still unclear and often disputed. The lack of a definite framework between private companies is a major problem not only in France, but internationally. This adds to the fact that these companies operate internationally with little to no regulations placed upon them. There are roughly one hundred French PMCs operating international that include but are not limited to; Anticip, Chiron and Defense Conseil International (DCI Group). Out of these select three, the DCI Group is the closest to the French government and military. The DCI Group mostly works in a diplomatic sense, as they are used mostly in assistance of France’s allies, as they have worked alongside various international governments (Quality). Unfortunately, not all private military contractors are created equal. While the DCI Group operates both independent from and closely to the French government, and maintains the accountability of its employees, it is an example of a select group of PMCs. This select group of PMCs should be used as a model for an ideal concept of private military contractors; one that is organized, accountable and useful.
The solution to this issue revolves around moving toward this concept of an ideal private military company. The first step to achieving this would be allowing easier access to the monitoring of PMC activities. The Delegation of France proposes the idea that all PMCs must be legally registered and recognized as such. By creating a database of widely recognized PMCs, it creates an easier way to monitor these contractors’ activities. Once this is in place, the door opens for several United Nations (UN) resources. Programs like the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNCHR) can support those already affected by violations of human rights as well as ensuring the ordinance with laws pertaining to human rights. Alongside humanitarian groups, bodies like the international court of justice (ICJ) should be employed too. The ICJ is a valuable resource in this issue on the legal front, as it can keep PMCs accountable. One legal framework and regulations, the ICJ can be used to prosecute PMCs that have committed these crimes and provide compensation for those affected.
References:
“Growing Risks from Private Military Companies.” Council of the European Union, General Secreteriat, 31 Aug. 2023, www.consilium.europa.eu/media/66700/private-military-companies-final-31-august.pdf.
“Private Military Companies in France.” The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Russian Ministry of foreign affairs, 23 July 2023, mid.ru/fr/foreign_policy/international_safety/1896224/?lang=en.
“Quality, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Policy.” DCI Group, 12 Nov. 2024, groupedci.com/the-group/quality-ethics-and-anti-corruption-policy/.
“Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries as a Means of Violating Human Rights and Impeding the Exercise of the Right of Peoples to Self-Determination.” OHCHR, 23 Oct. 2018, web.test.ohchr.un-icc.cloud/en/statements/2021/02/working-group-use-mercenaries-means-violating-human-rights-and-impeding-0#:~:text=Moreover%2C%20the%20Working%20Group%20has,slavery%2C%20to%20name%20a%20few.
