A/HRC/30/47
were not provided for or, alternatively, when security professionals and officers from
within the United Nations system were unavailable. The principle was articulated in the
United Nations Policy on Armed Private Security Companies,17 which clarified the roles
and responsibilities for recommending and approving the use of specific companies; and
outlined specific selection criteria, along with screening and training requirements for
contracted personnel. It also covered roles and responsibilities with respect to management
and oversight.
67.
The above-mentioned United Nations policy was accompanied by Guidelines on the
Use of Armed Security Services from Private Security Companies,18 which further
specified roles and responsibilities for determining when it might be appropriate to obtain
armed private security services. They set forth specific criteria for recommending the use of
specific armed private security companies, based on the latest security risk assessment,
while identifying the types of services that might or might not be contracted out to such
companies. The Guidelines also provided further details, including on screening and
training requirements of contracted personnel.
68.
The Under-Secretary-General recalled that respect for international human rights
law and international humanitarian law was among the core values of the United Nations,
including the Department of Safety and Security. It took all measures in that regard,
including collaborating with other United Nations departments, offices as well as agencies,
funds and programmes on various policies, procedures, standards and other arrangements,
in accordance with the Human Rights Up Front initiative. That initiative aimed to
mainstream human rights considerations in all United Nations activities and programmes
and foster engagement with Member States on human rights issues. The United Nations
Security Management System Policy Manual and related guidelines sought to contract only
with those armed private security companies with the highest standards of integrity,
competence and performance in line with internationally accepted human rights standards
and principles, while barring contracts with those convicted or implicated in human rights
abuses or criminal offences. At the same time, the most efficient way of ensuring that
international human rights and humanitarian principles were adhered to was to properly
implement such a policy and its guidelines.
69.
The Under-Secretary-General congratulated the Working Group on mercenaries on
the comprehensive nature of its report to the General Assembly (A/69/338) and expressed
sincere appreciation for the opportunity to express views on its content. He referred to the
measures undertaken pursuant to one of the report’s recommendations, namely to extend
the United Nations Security Management System Policy Manual to unarmed private
security companies. In line with that recommendation, the Inter-Agency Security
Management Network recognized the importance of further clarifying the United Nations
position on the use of unarmed private security companies, and thus endorsed the
establishment of a working group on the subject. In March 2015, the unarmed private
security services working group had been formally established, had agreed upon its terms
of reference and taken initial steps in determining the need for a separate policy and related
guidelines relating to the use of unarmed private security services.
70.
The Under-Secretary-General pointed out that there was arguably more to be done in
terms of how the existing United Nations Security Management System Policy Manual and
related Guidelines were implemented at the operational and tactical levels. In that regard,
17
18
18
Available from www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGMilitary/Session4/
UNSecurityPolicyManual.pdf.
Available from www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/WGMilitary/Session4/
GuidelinesUseArmedSecurityServices.pdf.
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