Armed conflicts, terrorism, and wars are increasing and international tensions are growing in many parts of the world. Governments are increasingly using Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) to do the war making and International Organisations and Transnational Companies employ them to secure their ships and staff from pirates, rebels and terrorist groups of all sorts. Violations of Human Rights by PMSC staff have been reported during the war in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Congo and other conflict zones of the world including through the use of armed drones and AI computer systems.
The PMSC industry is estimated to be worth USD 400 billion, has millions of employees and 6500 companies worldwide. To whom are PMSCs accountable to? Only to their clients (governments and their agencies)?, to International Humanitarian Law?, Universal Declaration of Human Rights? or only to industry self-regulatory standards? What is the response to this worrisome development by Genève Internationale?
Speakers who play a leading role in coping, managing, regulating PMSCs reported on their activities and discussed best options to cope with the PMSC phenomena, they were: Raymond Saner, Director, Diplomacy Dialogue, Geneva; Valentin Zellweger, Ambassador of Switzerland, Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisation in Geneva; Mrs Kelisiana Thynne, Legal Advisor, Advisory Services on International Humanitarian Law, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Geneva and Jamie A. Williamson, Executive Director, The International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers’ Association (ICoCA), Geneva, moderation by: Lichia Yiu, President, Center for Socio-Eco-Nomic Development (CSEND), Geneva
