For as long as there has been war and conflict there have been mercenaries. Mercenarism is the second oldest profession in the world, next to prostitution. Both are similar in that they sell a product to the highest bidder. Even though mercenaries have been around for centuries and still remain a constant in Africa, and indeed on most continents, many people are unaware of the profession and its impact on international politics.

Mercenaries, also known as 'soldiers of fortune' and 'dogs of war', are soldiers that will fight for the highest bidder regardless of political standings and national loyalties. The mercenary has no allegiance, nor does he mind fighting for rulers nor rebels, as long as the pay is high enough. More recently mercenary groups have adopted the term 'private military companies' (PMC).

The change in terms from mercenary to PMC can be seen as a reaction to the negative connotations associated with mercenary groups in the past. The adaptation has its roots in the attempt to re-shape the face of mercenarism. Up until late 1995, the term Private Military Company was basically unheard of. The new label has positively altered the image of mercenary troops but has done little to alter the reality of their activities.

PMCs are still active today. The African continent is a hotspot for mercenary activity as there are many rebel groups and governments with the money necessary to ensure a victory in civil battles. Even the US government has hired mercenaries to help bolster their troops in Iraq. There is now one mercenary to every two national soldiers in Iraq. The reason that governments see fit to hire these illegal armies is because they come at a cheaper rate than national armies. When the legal channels are circumvented, the government manages to save a lot of money. Secondly, mercenaries are expendable. Their deaths are out of the public eye and go unrecorded. There is therefore, no public outcry when a mercenary dies and the government can carry on without reprimand.

Mercenaries are illegal in international relations. Both the UN General Assembly and the Security Council have passed a number of resolutions pertaining to the use of mercenaries. The General Assembly in 1989 adopted the International Convention against the Recruitment, Use, Financing and Training of Mercenaries and in 1990 added to the Convention: the use of mercenaries as a means to violate human rights and to hinder people's right to self-determination.

Other organizations such as the African Union have laws against mercenary armies as do some individual countries. South Africa has a number of laws against them and any mercenary caught in South Africa is jailed under these laws.

Although there are many laws against mercenaries, the profession will never cease to exist. The ancient profession has manages to survive since before biblical times. With so many opportunities for mercenaries in Africa and also now in international conflicts such as Iraq, the soldiers of fortune should remain a part of international relations for centuries to come.