A/HRC/15/25 needed to be clarified and further strengthened. Participants exchanged views on their national experience with PMSCs, with the representatives of Afghanistan and Fiji giving comprehensive presentations on the situation of PMSCs in their respective countries. The Working Group presented elements of its proposed draft convention on PMSCs for discussion.4 27. The consultation in Addis Ababa was attended by representatives of 20 African countries and by representatives from the African Union Commission. Participants provided comprehensive information on and engaged in discussion of recent mercenary activities on the continent and their impact on human rights, together with the growing activities of PMSCs in Africa. The Working Group presented the elements of the draft convention in some detail and States expressed strong support for the work done by the Working Group on the preparation of this text.5 28. The most recent consultation, originally planned for October 2010 in Madrid, Spain, took place in April 2010 in Geneva with the representatives of Western European and Others Group (WEOG). The discussion focused on initiatives taken at the national and regional level by Western States as well as on elements for a possible new draft Convention as circulated by the Working Group to all Member States in early January 2010. The Working Group expressed its appreciation for the constructive comments on the document. While the Working Group noted the reservations of the EU and others with regard to a possible new convention on the issue, it underlined the shared goal of more effective regulation of the private security industry to ensure protection of individuals from human rights violations and ensure that when they occur, those responsible are held accountable and that victims have access to effective remedies.6 E. Other activities of the Working Group members 29. On 27 May 2010, the Chair of the Working Group, Mr. Gómez del Prado, gave a presentation on the regulation, monitoring and oversight of PMSCs at a seminar at the Centro de Estudios Internacionales of the University of Barcelona. Academics, representatives of civil society, the armed forces, and security companies, the media, experts and diplomats participated at this event. From 31 May to 2 June 2010, he participated in an international drafting committee of independent experts at the Parliament of Catalonia on the development of a universal declaration on the human right to peace, an initiative under the Barcelona Declaration. Mr. Gómez del Prado focused his input on the implications of mercenary and PMSC activities for the enjoyment of human rights, and in particular on the accountability of PMSCs and their personnel. 30. Ms. Benavides de Pérez led a regional conference on mercenaries and PMSC activities in Latin America on 7–8 May 2009 in Bogota. The event was organized by the 4 5 6 8 The consultation was attended by representatives of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Fiji, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Jordan, Myanmar, Pakistan, Qatar, Samoa, Thailand, Viet Nam and Yemen; as well as by the observer of Palestine. See report A/HRC/15/25/Add.4 of 1 April 2010. The consultation was attended by representatives of Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe and by representatives from the African Union Commission. See report A/HRC/15/25/Add.5. The consultation was attended by representatives from Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, and representatives from the European Union. See A/HRC/15/25/Add.6. GE.10-15155