The Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding the exercise of the right of peoples to self-determination

Country visits

Pursuant to its mandate, the Working Group continues to, inter alia, monitor mercenaries, mercenary-related activities in all their forms and manifestations, as well as to study the effects of the activities of private companies offering military assistance, consultancy and security services on the international market on the enjoyment of human rights.

Official country visits are conducted with the official invitation of and in cooperation with the Member State of the concerned country; and for assessment and investigation, whether regional, country-specific, or situational, in the concerned country. The Working Group intends to visit countries with different relevance to conflict situations; with a view to provide a comprehensive assessment by the Working Group on the phenomenon of PMSCs operational in violent, low-intensity and post conflict situations.

Requested visits

Armenia
Azerbaijan
Central African Republic
Chad
Colombia
Equatorial Guinea
Ghana
Iraq
Papua New Guinea
South Africa
Sudan
Zimbabwe

Completed visits

Chile - A/HRC/7/7/Add.4 and [S]
Honduras (2006) - A/HRC/4/42/Add.1 and [S]
Ecuador (2006) - A/HRC/4/42/Add.2 and [S]
Fiji (2007) - A/HRC/7/7/Add.3
Peru (2007) - A/HRC/7/7/Add.2 and [S]
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (2008) - A/HRC/10/14/Add.2
Afghanistan (April 2009)

Forthcoming visits

United States of America