Economy and Peacebuilding

This briefing paper proposes better lending practice in conflict-prone states – defined as ‘conflict-sensitive’ project finance – is in the interests of all stakeholders. Such an approach would enable financial institutions to:

    Understand the conflict context in which a project is developed
    Recognise the two-way process that characterises the interaction between investments and conflict and assess the impact between the project activities and the conflict context

Briefing paper

Contractors operating in unstable states face a range of conflict risks. Oil, gas and mining projects, which frequently have significant contractor involvement, can inadvertently trigger or sustain violence, or become the focus of resentment themselves. Produced in partnership with Engineers Against Poverty, this guidance note is addressed both to engineering contractors and their clients.

Guidance note

‘War kills development as well as people’.1 It destroys livelihoods as well as lives, and it undermines economic as well as political progress. Violence deprives people of opportunity as well as the physical infrastructure and social structures on which they rely. Above all, perhaps, it robs them of hope and belief in the future. In other words, the impacts of conflict are as damaging to the economic potential of a nation as they are to its social and political prospects.

Report

Hoy más que nunca, el sector empresarial es reconocido como un actor muy influyente en el desarrollo sostenible en sus zonas de operación. A lo anterior se suman los ejercicios de reflexión y acción alrededor de los impactos que generan los contextos de conflicto en el desarrollo de las actividades empresariales y viceversa, los efectos que estas operaciones pueden tener en la prevención, mitigación o exacerbación de conflictos. El empresariado colombiano se muestra activo e interesado en las dinámicas mencionadas anteriormente.

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This paper is aimed at motivating and informing discussion within the EU institutions and Member States on the nature of their engagement in the South Caucasus. It suggests priority areas for political dialogue and external assistance programming under the upcoming EC Country and Regional Strategy Papers. It argues that unless authorities and civil society in the region, supported by the international community, genuinely address the root causes of violent conflict, societal instability and distrust, then broad-based development and prosperity will remain beyond reach.

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Herramienta de Evaluación de Riesgo e Impacto del Conflicto a Nivel Macro (ERIC-M)

Objetivo

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Set up during 2006 with peacebuilding as its sole objective, the UN Peacebuilding Commission has the potential to use its intergovernmental voice to focus attention on the factors that could drive a renewal of conflict. In this light, Alert submitted recommendations in late 2006 on how the PBC could most effectively orientate its short and long-term support to the process of improving security and sustaining peace, for men and women, in Burundi. More widely, this publication also looks at the main challenges for the PBC and how it should focus its activities.

Recommendations

This publication makes the case that the local business community in conflict-affected countries can and should play a role in building peace. Linking up with other peacebuilding actors, and taking advantage of their own resources and skills, business communities should address socio-economic, security, political and reconciliation dimensions of peacebuilding. Section 1 is divided into 5 thematic chapters, and Section 2 contains 19 country case studies. Executive Summaries are also available in Spanish and French.

Executive Summary

Table of Contents

Introduction

Section 1: Thematic Chapter 1

Section 1: Thematic Chapter 2

Section 1: Thematic Chapter 3

Section 1: Thematic Chapter 4

Section 1: Thematic Chapter 5

Section 1: Conclusions

Section 2: Overview of Case Studies

Section 2: Afghanistan Case Study

Section 2: Bosnia and Herzogovina Case Study

Section 2: Burundi Case Study

Section 2: Colombia Case Study

Section 2: Democratic Republic of Congo Case Study

Section 2: El Salvador Case Study

Section 2: Guatemala Case Study

Section 2: Israel and Palestine Case Study

Section 2: Kosovo Case Study

Section 2: Nepal Case Study

Section 2: Nigeria Case Study

Section 2: Northern Ireland Case Study

Section 2: Philippines Case Study

Section 2: Sierra Leone Case Study

Section 2: Somalia Case Study

Section 2: South Africa Case Study

Section 2: South Caucasus Case Study

Section 2: Sri Lanka Case Study

Resumen ejecutivo: Las empresas locales y la paz: el potencial de construccion de paz del sector empresarial nacional

Résumé: Entreprise Locale, Paix Locale: Le potentiel du secteur privé national pour la construction de la paix

The ‘Mobilising the Ugandan Business Community for Peace’ scoping study project undertaken by International Alert and funded by Swedish SIDA, ran from October 2005-July 2006. The purpose of the research was to assess the potential of the private sector in Uganda to address Uganda’s conflicts and contribute to peacebuilding. It was also intended to lay the groundwork for any future SIDA/ International Alert work in this area.

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This publication is one of the chapters of the book 'Human Security and Business' (Ruffer & Rub, 2008) which includes the papers highlighting important considerations concerning business and human rights. This publication points out the interconnectedness of severe human rights abuses in violent conflict with certain corporate practices, drawing on examples from Africa, Asia and Latin America, and shows that voluntary initiatives alone are not enough to ensure that companies, particularly in the extractive sector, act as per the law or best practices.

Chapter

Sub-Saharan Africa is experiencing a significant oil boom and the injection of large amounts of revenues from oil, gas and mineral extraction presents an enormous challenge. This money should serve as a basis for economic growth and poverty reduction across Africa, yet history shows that resource revenues have not generally contributed to better development outcomes.

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Until a decade ago, India was regarded largely as a poor developing country with low visibility on the global political and economic front. A multitude of factors, most prominently its emerging global economic strength, have led India not only to redefine its self-image but also to adopt a new political role both internationally and within its immediate neighbourhood.

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This report focuses on economic recovery as a central pillar of peacebuilding in eastern DRC and, in particular, the role of the European Commission in supporting such processes. It argues that the drivers of fragility and instability must be addressed if meaningful long term economic recovery is to be realised. The report is based on field work carried out in South Kivu and Ituri, and draws on research by Alert’s partner in Bukavu, CEGEC.

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This paper aims to provide initial thoughts and options for integrating conflict-sensitive approaches (CSA) into value chain analysis and interventions in conflict situations. It uses a value chain framework as a starting point and explores how CSA can be applied to the analysis both of different levels and the various components of the chain. While the focus is on the initial analysis stage of a project cycle, the paper also presents preliminary points for practitioners to bear in mind in implementation.

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This report was produced as a background paper for CHD’s Oslo Forum, an annual gathering of senior international conflict mediators. This paper will discuss the diverse roles played by the private sector during Track 1 peace processes in particular, drawing on a variety of examples from different contexts.

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