Governments, donors, NGOs and commercial companies are increasingly becoming part of the same political project: to assist countries in the transition from war to peace. The blurring of the lines between war and post-war settings has expanded the scope of activity by commercial actors. This paper explores the increased outsourcing of humanitarian and, in particular, development services in conflict and post-conflict settings to private, profit-seeking companies that operate according to commercial principles. While commercial companies may contribute to a more professional and efficient humanitarian and development sector, the ability of governments to monitor and control private contractors is limited. This paper argues for greater focus on control, accountability and transparency.
The paper notes that:
- In the literature and the public debate, considerable attention has been paid to the increased demand for security in conflict and post-conflict areas and the resultant outsourcing of military and security services to private actors. To an increasing extent, the United States – with other states gradually following suit – is hiring private military companies (PMCs) to fulfil security functions formerly performed by uniformed personnel in missions abroad.
- On the positive side, commercial companies seem to score better on efficiency. As a result of commercial involvement, the whole ‘humanitarian market’, broadly defined, has become more streamlined, specialised and professionalised.
- On the negative side, the ability of governments to monitor and control private contractors is limited, and close links between corporations and government donors and a general lack of openness in the contracting process have fuelled suspicions about corruption. Further, an expansion in the use of commercial companies may jeopardise traditional humanitarian values and principles like impartiality, neutrality and independence.
Arguably, the commercialisation trend reveals a more profound change facing the international community and governments in international peace operations and in assisting countries in their transition from war to peace. Contemporary systems of governance and national governments in particular, are not capable of handling the challenges of globalisation and of a multi-polar, or non-polar, international system by themselves. In consequence, the governance vacuum is filled by actors seeking to provide various types of governance in various sectors. Commercial companies engaged in post-conflict settings represent but one such type of actor.
The literature on outsourcing and privatisation within the humanitarian and development sphere is limited. Furthermore, information about the activity of commercial actors is scarce, and political and scholarly debate largely lacking.
