The overseas activities of private military companies: The example of Africa

The African continent has been struggling with the negative effects of colonialism, which started in the 16th century and ended after the Second World War, until today. While the security problems experienced by the African continent are becoming more challenging with each passing day, the dimensions of these security threats are also differentiating. Perhaps the most prominent issue in the security perception of states in the African continent is the fact that private military companies are the main actors used to ensure stability and security in the region, although their existence and activities are controversial. The aim of this study is to analyse the changes in the classical military intervention and operation methods in the world in the context of the use of private military companies in Africa. In the first part of the study, the general characteristics of private military companies, their roles in the historical process and their legal status are analysed. In the second part of the study, the reasons for the spread of private military companies that play an active role in the field of security and defence and the nature of their activities are examined. The last part of the study provides an evaluation of the security problems in the African continent and the use and effects of private military companies by state governments in Africa in the encounter with these problems.