A forum for participants of the Montreux Document on pertinent international legal obligations and good practices for states related to operations of private military and security companies during armed conflict.
About
The Montreux Document reaffirms the existing obligations of States under international law, in particular international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights law, relating to the activities of private military and security companies (PMSCs).
The Montreux Document highlights the responsibilities of three principal types of states: Contracting states, Territorial states, and Home states.
In January 2006, Switzerland, in cooperation with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), organized a first exploratory meeting in Zurich.
The Montreux Document is Supported by 59 States and 3 International Organisations.
The goal of the Montreux Document Forum is to improve the governance of the Private Military and Security Industry.
The Montreux Document guides the regulation of activities of PMSCs in armed conflicts, but also constitutes a blueprint for other comparable situations.
Until 2021, the Montreux Document Forum held annual plenary meetings, bringing together all Montreux Document participants. Other states, international organizations and other stakeholders could also be invited by the MDF as observers.
The mandate of the ICoCA Working Group is to provide advice to the International Code of Conduct Association on national and international policy and regulatory matters (Art. 12 of the Working Practices of the MDF).
The Mandate of the Maritime Working Group is to look into the relevance of the Montreux Document to maritime security.
The Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) is an international foundation whose mission is to assist the international community in pursuing good governance and reform of the security sector.