Economy and Peacebuilding

Zones affected by or prone to conflict pose major challenges to companies. If they make the wrong decisions, they risk disruption to their operations, expropriation of assets, currency restrictions, damage to their reputation and potential legal liabilities.

Данная публикация представляет собой анализ взглядов деловых кругов, в частности, представителей малого и среднего бизнеса (МСБ), по вопросу урегулирования транс-ингурских экономических отношений, трансформации грузино-абхазского конфликта и стимулирования политического процесса. Данный отчет является продолжением абхазско-грузинского исследовательского процесса, который был начат в 2009 г. и в более общем смысле сформировался в результате работы International Alert по тематике экономики и конфликта на Южном Кавказе.

Full report

International Alert recently held a discussion in Karachi with members of the local business community on how business can contribute to building peace in Pakistan.

Ce rapport de recherche analyse les dynamiques du petit commerce transfrontalier au niveau des 3 frontières à l’Est de la RDC et entre le Burundi et le Rwanda, et propose des actions pour l’amélioration de ce commerce afin de faire avancer le pouvoir économique des femmes et, par là même, contribuer à la paix et à la sécurité dans la région.

Full report

Annexes

This report analyses the dynamics of small cross-border trade in eastern DRC, and between Burundi and Rwanda, and ways to improve  such trade in order to advance the economic power of women, contributing to peace and security in the region.

Full report

Annexes (in French)

International Alert recently took part in a public seminar in Islamabad, Pakistan on peacebuilding through corporate social responsibility (CSR).

The seminar looked at whether businesses are seen by the public as agents of peace or drivers of conflict in Pakistan, and built on our worldwide experiences of engaging with the private sector on peacebuilding.

International Alert started working with local organisations in Uganda’s oil regions in 2008, to promote greater awareness and understanding about the oil sector.

Improved information flow between local communities, the government and oil companies is crucial in promoting transparency in the sector, minimising the harmful potential for escalating rumours and fears.

In support of its wider objective to harness the potential of oil to contribute to peace and development in Uganda, Alert has therefore jointly signed the following statement:

International Alert Sri Lanka, along with our partners the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) and Youth Business Sri Lanka (YBSL) launched the “Investment Tab” of the Regional Enterprise Development Initiative (REDI) on 10th July 2012. It is a web-based portal to encourage and enable regional entrepreneurs who want to start their own business, but do not have sufficient funding or access to markets and investors to do so. It is also meant for potential investors and partners, including from the Sri Lankan diaspora, to access information about local market opportunities.

From 19th to 22nd of July 2012, International Alert and Caucasus Business and Development Network (CBDN) organised a cross-learning trip of South Caucasian beekeepers to Kars, Turkey. The trip was part of CBDN’s ongoing work in this sector, which aims to promote and strengthen regional cooperation among beekeepers in the South Caucasus.

From Alert's 2011 Annual Report

This blog post by Alert’s Director of Programmes Phil Vernon is also available on OpenDemocracy

In the context of an ongoing programme on Women’s Economic Empowerment, Alert co-organised a regional workshop with the Economic Community of the Great Lakes (CEPGL) and UN WOMEN on April 25th – 27th in Gisenyi, Rwanda.