Economy and Peacebuilding

International Alert recently brought together in Moscow experts on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict for a meeting on Developing Agenda for Peacebuilding and Public Dialogue. Armenian, Azerbaijani, Russian and other international analysts and civil society activists took part in the two-day discussions in Moscow.

Cette étude examine l’accès, l’utilisation et la gestion des terres et leurs rapports avec les causes premières de conflit au Nord- et Sud-Kivu et en Ituri. Elle a pour objectif de mettre en évidence

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This practice note offers options for economic development planners and practitioners for promoting accountable and conflict-sensitive governance of natural resource wealth. The presence of significant natural resource endowments has been documented as contributing to the outbreak of conflict as different parties compete for control over resource-rich territory, fuelling conflict through revenues generated by extractive resources, and undermining peace processes as powerful individuals or groups refuse to give up what they regard as their fair share of the spoils.

Practice note

This practice note explains what economic development planners and practitioners can do to support the socioeconomic reintegration of former combatants. It will assist you in your efforts to mobilise economic actors to play a constructive role in reintegration processes.

Practice note 4

This practice note presents the possible impacts of political peace processes on post-conflict economic recovery and implications for economic development planning during these transition periods. Peace processes are a development concern because they often set out future political and economic orders that frame post-conflict economic recovery and long-term economic development. Development agencies can be strategic actors for peace processes, especially as these near their conclusion and the parties craft new economic futures.

Practice note 5

Between 10-12 June 2010, Alert’s Economy & Conflict partners from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia and Turkey as well as Nagorno-Karabakh and South Ossetia, the Caucasus Business and Development Network (CBDN), gathered in Brussels for a strategic planning meeting to discuss their work promoting regional and cross-divide economic cooperation initiatives in the South Caucasus.

Between 17th-20th July 2010, International Alert’s Economy & Conflict project partners, the Caucasus Business and Development Network (CBDN), organised the Second Caucasian Cheese Exhibition in Tbilisi, Georgia. The exhibition brought together Armenian, Azerbaijani, Georgian and Turkish producers, experts and officials to promote dairy sector cooperation in the region. 

We are pleased to launch two new practice notes in the Peacebuilding Essentials for Economic Development Practitioners series. This forms part of International Alert’s project Strengthening the Economic Dimensions of Peacebuilding.

Socio-Economic Reintegration of Ex-Combatants explains what economic development planners and practitioners can do to support the socio-economic reintegration of former combatants.

Together with its Caucasus Business and Development Network (CBDN) partners from Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia as well as South Ossetia, International Alert participated in the 20th Economic Forum in Krynica, Poland between 8th-11th September 2010. It was the fourth time CBDN participated and chaired a panel in the event, often dubbed as the “Davos of Central and Eastern Europe”. This year, CBDN was among the Forum’s official institutional partners.

Private sector development in conflict-affected environments: key resources for practitioners

Alert’s Canan Gunduz and Joost Van Der Zwan co-authored this new Donor Committee on Enterprise Development guide on Private Sector Development (PSD) in conflict-affected environments.

On 23rd October 2010, International Alert’s Economy & Conflict project partners, the Caucasus Business and Development Network (CBDN), organised the third Caucasus Tea Festival together with the Caucasian Tea Producers’ Association. The goal of the Festival was to popularise varieties of teas from the region, including CBDN’s own brand of "Caucasus Tea", and to promote cooperation in the tea sector throughout the South Caucasus.  

Le petit commerce de produits vivriers (légumes, fruits etc.) entre la Province du Nord Kivu de la RDC (Goma) et la Province de l’Ouest du Rwanda (Gisenyi) est très important. Le petit
commerce transfrontalier est défini comme « activité commerciale génératrice de revenus dont la valeur des transactions commerciales journalières ne dépasse pas 100 dollars américains (USD) par commerçant ».

La Traversée: Petit Commerce et Amélioration des relations transfrontalières entre Goma (RD Congo) et Gisenyi (Rwanda).

Private sector activity – including both licit and illicit trade and business – is a significant factor influencing the shape and intensity of many conflicts. With a few significant exceptions, however, there has to date been little effort (from public, private and civil society sectors alike) to engage different types of private sector actor systematically in conflict prevention.

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THIS REPORT SHEDS analytical light on the complex linkages between economic factors and the conflict in Mindanao, and on the possible role of local business leaders and their associates in communities or other sectors in the country in breaking these links. It also explores options for government in addressing these dynamics.

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During the past decade the forces of political transformation and economic globalisation have created a world of new opportunities and hope for some, but increased instability and insecurity for others. As we enter the 21st Century violent conflict continues to affect the lives of millions of people, undermining human progress and economic development. This has important implications for the private sector, which has become an influential player in many conflict-prone or conflict-ridden countries.

The Business of Peace