I was thrilled to look through International Alert's new book, Local Business, Local Peace: the Peacebuilding Potential of the Domestic Private Sector. The executive summary is absolutely correct when it notes that the role of local business in post-conflict environments merits more emphasis.
The peacebuilding potential of the domestic private sector has been neglected or misunderstood for too long. Its role has either been framed by the international community, civil society and even businesses as purely economic, and therefore focused largely on growth and wealth creation, or, more recently, in negative terms, focused on its conflict-sustaining dimensions in war economies.
The book covers private sector efforts to support peace
negotiations, to address economic problems that lie behind violent
conflict, to build bridges between divided communities and groups, and
to alleviate security concerns.
The study
aims to provide local businesses that face armed conflict and want to
contribute to peace with ideas, strategies and encouragement drawn from
the expertise of others facing similar challenges.
You can read the entire thing online.
Among the 20 case studies you'll find reports on Afghanistan, Bosnia,
Colombia, Guatemala, Israel/Palestine, Nepal, Somalia, Sri Lanka and
the South Caucasus.
Related - an essay on peace through economic development in Nepal.
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