A/HRC/7/7
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caused by acts of PMSCs or their staff that impair human rights.79 States which contract
PMSCs to export their activities abroad have to respect their international legal
obligations, which cannot be eluded by outsourcing some of its functions;
− Frontier conflicts. The use of PMSCs for aerial fumigation of herbicides which may
endanger the health of populations living in areas of a country bordering with another,
such as under Plan Colombia, may create serious diplomatic incidents.
IV. STATUS OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
AGAINST THE RECRUITMENT, USE, FINANCING
AND TRAINING OF MERCENARIES
52. The Working Group continues to promote universal accession to the International
Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries as the only
global instrument dedicated to addressing mercenaries and mercenary-related activities. During
the year under review, the Working Group welcomes that the Governments of Cuba and Peru
have deposited their instruments of accession with the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
It notes there are now 30 States parties to the Convention: Azerbaijan, Barbados, Belarus,
Belgium, Cameroon, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Georgia, Guinea, Italy, Liberia,
Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Moldova, New Zealand, Peru, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Seychelles, Suriname, Togo, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uruguay and
Uzbekistan.80 The Working Group notes and welcomes indications of treaty action towards
acceding to the International Convention by Algeria, Bangladesh, Armenia, Ecuador,
El Salvador, Ghana, Haiti, Honduras, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mauritius, Morocco, Sudan,
Tunisia, Venezuela and Yemen. The Working Group reiterates its availability to advise on and
support these processes.
V. FUTURE ACTIVITIES
53. During 2008, the Working Group will continue to promote the widest ratification/accession
of States to the International Convention. It will also pursue its consultations with the delegations
of Armenia, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana,
Iraq, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, United States of America and Zimbabwe with a view to
obtain invitations to carry out country visits.
54. The Working Group will hold a governmental consultation with representatives of the
Latin American and Caribbean States in Panama City, hosted by the OHCHR Regional Office
for Central America and the Caribbean. The aim of this consultation is to gather a regional
79
General comment No. 31 (2004) on the nature of the general legal obligations imposed on
States parties to the Covenant, para. 8.
80
For the status of the International Convention, please see annex I.
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