International Institutions

Promoting peace

The African Union at 50

International Alert

Mai, 2013

International Alert

6 pages

London, UK

978-1-909578-14-2

This paper examines how the African Union, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, can enhance its contribution to sustainable peace. This is part of our Peace Focus series.

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International Companies and Post-Conflict Reconstruction

Cross-Sectoral Comparisons

John Bray

Février, 2005

Conflict Prevention & Reconstruction Unit, Social Development Department, The World Bank

64 pages

London, UK

The role of international companies in post-conflict reconstruction is an essential complement to the work of international aid agencies. However, if policy-makers are to secure the maximum benefits from private investment, they need to understand how different companies and sectors view opportunity and risk, and find ways to assess their overall impact in post-conflict settings.

In development circles, the debate about the role of business in conflict-affected regions has tended to focus on petroleum and mining. This paper begins with a review of the extractive industries, but then broadens the discussion to discuss three other sectors: mobile phones, construction and commercial banks. It cites examples from Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, Somalia, Sierra Leone and Timor- Leste.