The Evolving Contingency Contracting Market PKSOI Papers | Page 19

Existing credible accountability initiatives form a
framework for governing the conduct of contractors,
but much remains to be fleshed out to form a coherent
and standardized approach to overseeing such organizations and activities.
Case Study I: The International Code of Conduct for
Private Security Providers
In 2008, the International Committee of the Red
Cross, the Swiss government, and contributors from
private security companies and the civil society/NGO
sector developed and proposed the Montreux Document on Private Military and Security Companies.
The document details international legal obligations
and lists specific recommendations related to PSC
services procurement practices and operational oversight, and clarifies the obligations of States pertaining
to the hiring of such entities during armed conflicts.19
Although representatives from dozens of states affirmed their support of the Montreux Document, it became clear that a supplement to the recommendations
contained therein would eventually be necessary for
its calls to be met by private security companies. Thus
was born efforts to develop the International Code of
Conduct for Private Security Providers (ICoC). The
draft document produced by ICoC stakeholders was
unveiled at a November 2010 conference held in Switzerland, where 58 private security companies from
fifteen countries participated in a public signing ceremony, committing them to operate in accordance with
the Code.
While the Montreux Document strives to guide
the practices of States, the ICoC guides the performance of contracted or otherwise procured services

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