Briefing Paper

Fusing Privatisation of Security with Peace and Security Initiatives

“This paper seeks to highlight the numerous obstacles to, and opportunities for, the consolidation of PMSCs into a security provision role on the African continent. Obstacles include the lack of definition as to what PMSCs actually are. The inability to fully define the activities of PMSCs allows opportunities for evading accountability, and this is exacerbated by the fact that there is no international legal framework to address PMSCs and any possible abuses that may form part of the industry. This paper argues that there is a need to encourage
more robust dialogue concerning the privatisation of security in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of PMSCs’activities, and enable international legislation that can address these activities.”