A/HRC/24/45 issuing, possession and use of firearms and other weapons by security service providers. In Lesotho and Mauritius, the laws require the use of firearms by private security service providers to be in accordance with the laws governing the use of firearms by the populations at large. An interesting contrast in this regard is Ugandan Police (Control of Private Security Organisations) Regulations, which specifically spell out circumstances under which private security service providers may use firearms and require that all private security service providers who are detailed to use arms must be adequately trained and possess a certificate of competence in firearms management. 44. While the Sierra Leonean legislation provides for the use of firearms by the private security providers, this is generally not allowed in practice owing to the United Nations arms embargo. The Sierra Rutile company, however, does possess armed private security, which is sanctioned by the Sierra Rutile Agreement 1989 (Ratification) Act and the Sierra Rutile Agreement (Ratification) Act, 2002. 45. Some countries expressly prohibit the use of firearms by private security service providers. Insofar as the Gambia is concerned, the possession and/or the use of firearms or ammunition by a private security provider are prohibited. Similarly, the Nigerian legislation prohibits the use of firearms and ammunition during the course of their duties. 46. In other countries, the laws are silent on the use of firearms by private security service providers. For example, the Ghanaian legislation and the Kenyan bill on private security are silent on whether or not private security providers would be allowed to use firearms. This issue may be addressed in the regulations that will be developed in order to implement the Kenyan law on private security. 47. While the regulation of use of force and firearms is one of the most crucial elements of effective oversight of PMSCs, it appears that, based on the national legislation on PMSCs available to the Working Group, the countries that permit PMSCs to possess and use firearms do not provide for sufficiently detailed regulations in this respect. Although the international human rights and humanitarian laws and standards provide, inter alia, that firearms are used proportionately only in self-defence or defence of third persons and in a manner likely to decrease the risk of unnecessary harm, the laws analysed in this study do not incorporate these requirements or only include part of them. 5. The promotion of standards in regulations of the selection, training, equipping and conduct of PMSC personnel 48. The laws in some of the countries under review set out minimum criteria for the selection of PMSC personnel and such criteria commonly include whether or not the personnel in question have been convicted of any serious crimes, the fitness of their characters and their financial position. For example, the Lesotho legislation provides that no person shall qualify to register as a private security officer or guard if he or she has been convicted of any offence punishable by imprisonment or found guilty of any offence involving dishonesty or use of dangerous weapons, suffers from mental incapacity, habitual drunkenness, narcotics addiction or dependence, or is under the age of 18 years or an unrehabilitated insolvent. Some legislation goes further, requiring personnel to have been adequately trained. The South African legislation, for example, requires that personnel comply with training as certified by the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority. 49. In some of the countries subject to this study, the entities responsible for regulating and/or controlling the private security sector are also entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring and promoting training standards for private security officers. For instance, the Namibian Security Enterprises and Security Officers Act provides that, among other things, the functions of the Security Officers Regulation Board shall give advice in connection with 11