Sustainable Economies
The Institute focuses on various dimensions of peacebuilding and conflict management, including the causal relationship between economic activity and the prospects for enduring peace.
Research suggests that societies with effective economic policies, vibrant economic activity and resilient economic actors are more likely to promote national, regional and global peace and prosperity. Sound economies are fundamental to enhancing human security and reducing conflict.
The Sustainable Economies Center of Innovation, headed by Raymond Gilpin, seeks to develop practical approaches to integrate economic dimensions in effective strategies to manage conflict and promote peace, while providing guidance for a broad range of practitioners. The Center's work builds on sound practice by bilateral agencies, multilateral institutions, non-governmental organizations and private sector firms working in conflict-affected areas; and is predicated on the premise that economic activities and actors can be transformative building blocks for sustainable peace.
Recent Center Highlights
Depoliticizing Zimbabwe’s Economy: Solutions for Two Million Percent
August 2008 | USIPeace Briefing
Zimbabwe is saddled with two million percent annual price increases, rampant corruption and pervasive unemployment. Experts believe that an effort to reform the country's political corruption and irresponsible monetary policies will be central to establishing social and economic stability in the long run.
Moving Beyond Relief: The Challenges of Settling Kenya's Internally Displaced
August 2008 | USIPeace Briefing
This briefing by Sheila Mwiandi explores various dimensions of Kenya's post-election IDP problems, including elections-related issues prior to 2008, challenges to relocating IDPs and strategies for improving the situation.
Promoting Business and Peace in Conflict-Affected Countries
June 9, 2008 | Public Event
Viable economic progress in nations and communities help promote peace by raising living standards, promoting investment and creating a constituency for improved political and economic governance. Business development is a crucial, but often overlooked, component of peacebuilding in most conflict-affected countries.
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- Democratic Republic of the Congo - Recognizing the importance of robust and equitable private sector activity, the Center is assessing the extent to which formal and informal economic activity could promote peace in resource-rich northeastern and southern provinces.
- Iraq - Rebuilding Iraq’s economic infrastructure focuses on the oil industry. The Center is examining how developments in the oil industry could become a catalyst for broad-based economic progress.
- Nigeria - Working with local non-governmental organizations, the Center is developing conflict-sensitive strategies to improve resource management in Nigeria's oil industry. These efforts aim to reduce tensions between communities and the oil companies and lay the foundation for poverty reduction and socio-economic development.
- Effectiveness of U.S. Treasury Advisors in Post-Conflict Environments.
The U.S. Treasury Department's contribution to technical assistance capacity has generally been well regarded since the establishment of Treasury's Office of Technical Assistance (OTA) in 1990. This project seeks to glean lessons from Treasury's experience with Technical Assistance and identify sound practices that may be broadly applicable in conflict-affected environments.
- Foreign Assistance in Post-Conflict Countries.
Economic recovery is a crucial component of stabilization efforts in conflict-affected states. In addition to generating income, creating employment and fostering human security, the processes leading to economic recovery (such as policy reform, institutional strengthening and investments in infrastructure and technology) also contribute to addressing some underlying structural causes of conflict. This project identifies creative ways in which foreign assistance could support economic recovery and promote lasting peace.
- Role of Business in Promoting Peace.
Commercial entities could be part of the problem or solution in conflict-affected states. This project explores avenues for positive contributions by the business sector by going beyond humanitarianism and charity donations to consider a range of innovative interventions including re-engineering supply chains and creative finance.
- Economic Issues in Peace Agreements.
Peace agreements seek to address important economic and resource-related issues that trigger and sustain conflict. These include land tenure, property rights, redistribution of wealth, and management of natural resources. However, in many recent cases, insufficient attention has been paid to economic considerations, relationships and linkages. This project will critically review case studies and hopefully forge consensus on broad guidelines for practitioners.
- Network for the Promotion of Economic Development in Conflict Zones
Scholars and practitioners working on economic dimensions of peacebuilding seldom have the time or resources to access a growing body of knowledge and expertise in this area. The Center is conducting research that could lead to the development of a web-based portal to provide access to relevant material, and facilitate information sharing among scholars and practitioners.
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