Topic: 2024-Private Military Contractors
Country: Ireland
Delegate Name: Alexander McBride
Country: Ireland
Committee: DISEC
Topic: Private Military Contractors
Delegate: Alex McBride
School: Williamston High School
Private Military Contractors, or PMC’s, provide combat or protection forces, military equipment like helicopters and tanks. They can just provide a small training exercise, for a combat division made up of skilled soldiers. PMC’s aren’t new, for example the East India Company provided PMC resources during the 18th and 19th centuries. PMC’s became more prevalent after the Cold War ended, as the market had an influx of specialized personal and military equipment. The United Nation Mercenary Convention banned the use of mercenaries in armed conflict. PMC’s provide mercenary services, but the UNMC refused the idea that PMC’s are Mercenaries. PMC’s are hard to distinguish from nation or state military forces. As a result countries can continue criminal warfare and blame the PMC’s. PMC’s, especially the one in africa have been charged for human right violations. PMCs like Wagner have been accused of War Crimes, Human Rights Violations, undermining the sovereignty of nations, especially developing countries, by exploiting resources and further destabilizing these countries.
The EU has expressed concerns about the prevalence of PMCs in conflict zones. The regulatory framework for PMCs either is inconsistent or inadequate with certain PMCs committing human rights violations. The EU references international conventions and laws like the Geneva Conventions and the International Convention Against the Recruitment, Use, Financing, and Training of Mercenaries (ICARUFTM), which prohibit the use of mercenaries in armed conflict like Ukraine, Palestine, and Myanmar. The UN doesn’t consider PMCs mercenaries. The EU has used PMCs in non-conflict situations. Ireland is increasing its spending on Military from 1.1 billion euros, to 1.5 billion euros by 2028. Ireland’s gun laws seem to be slightly stricter than the USA, but most likely fall in line with the rest of the EU.
Ireland will encourage countries to sever ties to PMCs with records of human rights violations. Ireland will also be making sure that EU funds don’t go towards PMCs with records of human rights violations and make judicial reforms to aid ones harmed by PMC human rights violations. The EU calls for a clear, binding framework in an attempt to ensure that laws and regulations are followed, especially human rights. Increase funding for EU training Groups, reducing the reliance on PMC’s.
