1 Private Military and Security Companies: A transnational legal approach. Math Noortmann* & Ioannis Chapsos** A. Introduction When we had need of skilled soldiers to separate fighters from refugees in the Rwandan refugee camps in Goma, I even considered the possibility of engaging a private firm. But the world may not be ready to privatize peace. (Kofi Anan, 1998) 1 Is the world ready in 2015? This is the question we seek to answer in this chapter. The contemporary academic and societal discourse on Private Military and Security Companies (PMSCs) is at least ambiguous. The idea of the ‘privatization of war’ still meets with substantial and uncompromising critique 2 and scepticism towards PMSCs is still all around. 3 Critique and scepticism, however, is also increasingly questioned and countered, and there seems to be room for a wider discussion on the role of PMCS in * Dr. Math Noortmann is Professor of Transnational Law and Non-State Actors at the Center for Trust, Peace and Social Relations of Coventry University (UK). He leads the research cluster on Armed Violance and Illicit Activities ** Dr. Ioannis Chapsos is Research Fellow in Maritime Security at the Center for Trust, Peace and Social Relations of Coventry University (UK). He is a former Captain (ret) of the Hellenic Navy. 1 Kofi Anan, Secretary-General Reflects on ‘Intervention’ in 35 th Annual Ditchley Foundation Lecture, 26 June 1998, Press Release SG/SM/6613 (http://www.un.org/press/en/1998/19980626.sgsm6613.html) (visited: 01.03.2015) 2 Ian Traynor, The privatisation of war, 10 THE GUARDIAN (2003). See also BJØRN MØLLER, PRIVATISATION OF CONFLICT, SECURITY AND WAR (DIIS Working Paper. 2005);Jakkie Cilliers & Richard Cornwell, Africa—From the Privatisation of Security to the Privatisation of War, in PEACE, PROFIT OR PLUNDER? THE PRIVATISATION OF WAR-TORN AFRICAN SOCIETIES (Jakkie Cilliers & Richard Cornwell eds., 1999). 3 Ian Douglas, Fighting for diamonds–Private military companies in Sierra Leone, in PEACE, PROFIT OR PLUNDER? THE PRIVATISATION OF WAR-TORN AFRICAN SOCIETIES. (Jakkie Cilliers & Richard Cornwell eds., 1999);Mark Fulloon, Private military companies: The new condottieri, 32 SOCIAL ALTERNATIVES (2013).