Strengthening the economic dimension of peacebuilding

Indeed strengthening the private sector and market-based economies has become a key concern for development assistance, including in countries affected by conflict. Given the important role that the allocation of resources and lack of economic opportunities play in many conflicts, such economic recovery and development efforts are bound to affect core conflict dynamics, and the economic legacies left by war.

But while the links between peacebuilding and the economy may be obvious, it is less clear how a peacebuilding approach to economic interventions can be achieved in practice, and how they can be made conflict-sensitive. Understanding the ways in which economic interventions can impact conflict dynamics is therefore crucial, and needs to inform programming and implementation.

The objectives of the overall project are three-fold:

1. To identify lessons in order to generate evidence-based resources and guidance for policymakers and practitioners to improve the conflict-sensitivity and peacebuilding impacts of economic interventions

2. To promote uptake of such good practice

3. To put the links between economic recovery and peacebuilding on the agenda of relevant national and international actors through advocacy, outreach and networking

Case study series

The collection of four case studies illustrates the wide range of economic conflict causes, impacts and needs; as well as responses to them in different contexts. Each case study provides a specific ‘snapshot’, focusing on particular economic peacebuilding priorities

• Uganda: Enabling peace economies through early recovery

• Nepal: What role for business in post-conflict economic recovery?

• Sri Lanka: Rethinking the nexus between youth, unemployment and conflict

• Colombia: The challenges of supporting ‘alternative’ economic opportunities for peacebuilding

For key lessons and recommendations from the studies read: Synthesis Paper. Strenghtening The Economic Dimensions of Peace Building.

The third component of this project is design and delivery of trainings to strengthen the economic dimensions of peacebuilding, for different international and in-country audiences. This includes:

• A partnership since 2009 with the Sri Lanka-based Peacebuilding and Development Institute to deliver an annual one-week course ‘Strengthening the Economic Dimensions of Peacebuilding’ for South Asian peacebuilding and development practitioners. This is an innovative programme combining classroom-based teaching and field exposure.

• A partnership since 2006 with the Swedish Folke Bernadotte Academy and a group of international experts to run an annual, week-long training seminar on The Role of Economic Actors in Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding. The aim of the course is to familiarize participants with economic actors and issues that relate to conflict prevention, and to introduce them to strategies and methods for involving them in peacebuilding efforts, including through Local Economic Development planning.
• The project team also works with Alert’s Training and Learning Team and Transition International to support the delivery of the annual high-level Reintegration of Ex-Combatants: Advanced Training Course, designed to bring together a group of experienced practitioners, policy makers and donors to share best practices and lessons learnt from from reintegration experiences in different parts of the world.

The project team also works to design and delivery tailor-made courses in this area. For inquiries, please contact Joost van der Zwan