SIPRI Yearbook 2023: Armaments, Disarmament and International Security
Contents
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Overview Overview
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I. The global growth of private military and security companies: Trends, actors and issues of concern I. The global growth of private military and security companies: Trends, actors and issues of concern
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Introduction Introduction
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Issues of concern Issues of concern
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Key definitional and legal issues Key definitional and legal issues
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Efforts at mapping PMSCs Efforts at mapping PMSCs
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Deployment of PMSCs to territorial states in conflict zones Deployment of PMSCs to territorial states in conflict zones
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International PMSCs operating in Ukraine International PMSCs operating in Ukraine
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International PMSCs operating in the Middle East and North Africa International PMSCs operating in the Middle East and North Africa
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Key actors: Home states and leading companies Key actors: Home states and leading companies
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United States United States
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Russia Russia
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Other significant home states Other significant home states
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Conclusions Conclusions
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II. Private military and security companies in sub-Saharan Africa II. Private military and security companies in sub-Saharan Africa
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Shifting geopolitical trends and continental dynamics Shifting geopolitical trends and continental dynamics
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Competition between China, the USA and the EU Competition between China, the USA and the EU
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Russian PMSCs Russian PMSCs
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Sanctions against the Wagner Group Sanctions against the Wagner Group
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Chinese PMSCs Chinese PMSCs
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Recent PMSC activity in selected conflict-affected sub-Saharan African states Recent PMSC activity in selected conflict-affected sub-Saharan African states
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Burkina Faso Burkina Faso
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Central African Republic Central African Republic
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Democratic Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo
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Mali Mali
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Sudan Sudan
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Conclusions Conclusions
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III. The current regulatory landscape for private military and security companies III. The current regulatory landscape for private military and security companies
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International humanitarian law and proxy actors International humanitarian law and proxy actors
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Regulation at the United Nations Regulation at the United Nations
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Form and nature Form and nature
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Scope Scope
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Human rights provisions Human rights provisions
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Accountability and remedies Accountability and remedies
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Recent case law Recent case law
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Conclusions Conclusions
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4. Private military and security companies in armed conflict
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Published:11 September 2023
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Extract
Overview
The last 20 years have witnessed the rapid growth of private military and security companies (PMSCs). This chapter begins by presenting an overview of the trend and highlights the issues of concern, the key legal and definitional complexities, and efforts to date to map the proliferation of PMSCs (section I). There is no universally accepted, legally binding, standard definition of a PMSC and the sector often operates in a legal lacuna: the employees of PMSCs are not soldiers or civilians, nor can they usually be defined as mercenaries. The wars in Iraq (2003–11) and Afghanistan (2001–21) reshaped perceptions of the private military and security industry, with the massive deployment of contractors by the United States leading to new market opportunities across the globe.
Today, PMSCs operate in almost every country in the world, for a broad variety of clients, assuming responsibilities for critical state and security functions. The main actors in the sector include both the host countries in which PMSCs are headquartered and key companies within those countries. A handful of home states host the majority of PMSCs: the USA, the United Kingdom, China and South Africa are estimated to collectively host about 70 per cent of the entire sector. Russia, while having a relatively small PMSC sector, has arguably used its contractors for combat more than others.
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