Research findings showed that mobilising the economic actors and Ugandan business community for peace was a strategically important sector that remained overlooked in this post-conflict environment and as economic recovery was gaining ground. Under a three-year grant provided by the Swedish International Development Assistance (SIDA) through the Swedish Embassy, our programme in Uganda aims to generate a shift in policy and decision-making amongst government officials, international organisations, development partners and the private sector, and to align the economy with peace.

Recently, Alert’s efforts promoting peaceful economic recovery in Northern Uganda was boosted by a supplementary grant under USAID/SPRING to support district-lead dialogue with economic stakeholders in Gulu, Amuru, Pader and Kitgum.

In the long term, we plan to broaden our work in Uganda to include other complementary peacebuilding activities such as: working with business community to promote peaceful elections, promoting local stakeholders' dialogue on economic recovery, and encouraging responsible and transparent use of natural resources, such as oil, for sustained peace and equitable development in Uganda.

Purpose

To assist Ugandans to build a more peaceful and stable Uganda by addressing the underlying causes of violent conflict

Objectives

• To promote increased awareness and understanding of the links between economy and conflict / economy and peace among key stakeholders in Uganda.
• To support proactive engagement on the part of some Ugandan businesspeople in pursuing a peace building goal at both national and local levels.
• To offer a dialogue platform and build capacity of district stakeholders to be able to discuss objectively contentious issues during the recovery and reintegration period.

Activities

Investing in Peace briefing paper series
This series of reports targets policy-makers in government, development partners, civil society organisations and the private sector, and explores the interplay between economic development and conflict in Uganda. Its purpose is to promote a political-economy reading of Ugandan conflicts, and the essential economic dimensions of peacebuilding. A total of two-three papers will be published each year 2008-10. In addition to their value as advocacy tools, strategically, the research conducted for the Investing in Peace series will in some cases provide the foundation for practical future interventions by International Alert.

Through 2008, a renewed sense of possibility emerged in Uganda regarding the rebuilding of the Northern Uganda economy, related to the Juba Peace Process. Government, development partners and the private sector are all planning either to make the most of the opportunities that may present themselves in the north’s post-settlement economy, or to contribute to peace through revised programmatic interventions. Investing in Peace Issue No. 1 focuses on these plans, reviewing them from a conflict-sensitive and peacebuilding perspective. Its emphasis on the economic dimensions of peace in Northern Uganda highlights both the political economy of the conflict, and the failure of peace processes globally to deliver ‘peace dividends’ that address structural economic imbalances and contribute meaningfully to peace. The report includes findings from a survey conducted in four districts of Northern Uganda exploring people’s own perceptions about their economic circumstances, and hopes and fears for the future. Investing in Peace Issue No. 1, Building a Peace Economy in Northern Uganda: Conflict-Sensitive Approached to Recovery and Growth was published and launched at events in Kampala and Gulu in September 2008 (http://www.international-alert.org/publications/pub.php?p=388).

Work is now underway on Issue No. 2: Countering Regional, National and Local level Conflict Impacts of Oil Discoveries in the Lake Albert Region which is expected to be published in 2009.

Building a peace economy in Northern Uganda
Following on from Issue No.1, 2009 will see Alert in Uganda develop its advocacy with central government policy makers and officials in key ministries and departments, as well as with relevant development coordination groups and discussions – in order to maximise the impact of the report.

It has been identified that districts in Northern Uganda lack a regular space to debate and develop a shared vision of the economic future. It is apparent that this can be a major contributor to high levels of mistrust and lack and potential for future conflict. Alert also plans to convene stakeholders from different sectors of society in Northern Uganda to discuss economic recovery and peacebuilding at district level.

Countering conflict impacts of oil
Complementing Issue No. 2, Alert is developing a wide-ranging strand of work to promote more positive outcomes from oil in Uganda than in the wider region have experienced. In Year 2 Alert’s work will include: coalition-building with civil society; producing information sheets which will be translated in local languages and disseminated widely at local level; capacity building of media and parliamentarians as part of an effort to improve access to information and minimize conflicts; advocacy with companies and governments; and facilitation of exchange visits with counterparts from other African oil-producing states.

Business for peace initiatives
Drawing on its experience in other country contexts where business has taken a prominent role in identifying a role for itself in support of peace processes or broader peace initiatives, International Alert is engaged in discussions with key business representatives regarding their potential to contribute to peacebuilding through their own core business activities; social investment or corporate social responsibility; and through their wider influence in society, or advocacy. Our engagement will include large-scale industry leaders in different sectors through to smaller scale entrepreneurs dealing with conflict issues at a local level around the country. The initial focus is on investors that are already or plan to invest in Northern Uganda, and includes work with the group to develop Conflict-Sensitive Guidance for Investors to Northern Uganda.