05 Mar 2008: ISS Conference, Addis Ababa: The Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa, 5-6 March 2008

ISS Conference: The Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa
Addis Ababa, 5-6 March 2008

 

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) is hosting a Conference on the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa at the African Union Headquarters (Committee Room 1) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from March 5–6, 2008. The conference is made possible with the generous support of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada and the United Nations University (UNU) in Japan.

 

Convened through the ISS project on the Regulation of the Private Security Sector in Africa, the main objective of the conference is to positively influence the policy processes towards the revision of the 1977 OAU/AU Convention on the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa through the dissemination of research material and thus enhancing peace and security in Africa. To this end, the conference will bring together experts to address five broad themes, namely:

 

• The Extent of Mercenarism in Africa and its Impact on Human Security and Human Rights;
• The Role of the Legitimate Private Security Sector vis-à-vis Mercenarism in Africa;
• Combating Mercenarism in Africa at the Domestic, Regional and International Levels;
• Towards an Effective Regulatory Framework Addressing the Private Security Sector and Mercenarism in Africa; and
• The Revision of the 1977 Organization of African Unity (OAU) Convention on the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa.

 

Towards the end of the conference there shall be a wrap-up discussion session in which participants shall come up with concrete recommendations on how the 1977 OAU/AU Convention on the Elimination of Mercenarism in Africa could be revised in order to address the contemporary challenges in Africa, including those associated with privatization of security in Africa.

 

For more information please contact Sabelo Gumedze, [email protected], Tel: + 27 12 346 9500.