Local ingenuity drives economic recovery in post-conflict nations – UN report

Efforts to promote economic recovery in countries ravaged by war will not succeed, unless they are based on a sound understanding of local dynamics and are led by local actors, according to a new report released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“Post-Conflict Economic Recovery: Enabling Local Ingenuity” focuses on three critical factors – the importance of local ingenuity to guide recovery, the state’s role in promoting this ingenuity, and the policies needed to rebuild war-torn economies and reduce the risk of sliding back into conflict.

“At the end of the day, recovery has to domestically driven,” UNDP Administrator Kemal Dervis told a news conference in New York, as he launched the report.

The report states that local actors are the best placed and have the strongest incentive to rehabilitate themselves after war. “Post-conflict recovery policies that harness and build on these local activities are more likely to be successful and self-sustaining than those that offer an imported solution.

“International development assistance must therefore be designed to support and complement ongoing indigenous efforts, as well as to lay the foundation for further locally grown initiatives,” the report adds.

Some of the major challenges in the period following the cessation of hostilities include reconstructing social and economic infrastructures, generating employment and livelihoods, reintegrating ex-combatants, reconstituting institutions and social capital, and mobilizing financing for recovery.

“The challenges are huge. We don’t have all the answers. But I think the report points to some key factors while being careful to underline that one size does not fit all,” said Mr. Dervis.

The report highlights examples of success, such as Mozambique, a country that has sustained “remarkable” rates of economic growth in the 15 years since hostilities ceased, he noted.

At the same time, there are also examples of countries that have been “trapped into long-term, post-conflict, low-growth situations,” he added.

In the latter group is Afghanistan, which, after a quarter of a century of protracted conflict, stands as one of the most impoverished, conflict-prone States in the world, and ranks near the bottom of all human development indicators.

Mr. Dervis noted that sustained external support is also necessary, but stressed that such support should focus the main points outlined in the report. It is very important that external support does not create “a long-term dependency on aid processes and international mechanisms that do not support the domestic dynamics.”

Kathleen Cravero, Assistant Administrator and Director of UNDP’s Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery, highlighted four specific recommendations in the report relating to the involvement of women in post-conflict economic recovery.

First, the end of a conflict can offer a very important window of opportunity to redress pre-war inequities, including gender discrimination. “It is a time when we can build back better,” she stated, noting that for example, the property rights of women can and have been advanced in a number of recovery processes.

Secondly, women can and should be drivers of their own recovery. “Time after time women have proven their resilience and resolve in war-torn environments, forming collectives that tackle everything from family reunification to micro-credit associations.

“These informal groups provide essential services that their governments have ceased to deliver and they build trust within and among communities. It’s a powerful step in the peacebuilding process.”

Thirdly, issues that affect women must be integrated in all post-conflict policies and programmes. “Ensuring that girls and women have equal access to employment opportunities, education, health and finance is not only a moral imperative, it makes good economic sense,” Ms. Cravero stressed.

Finally, women should be afforded equal participation in peace processes, she stated, noting that of the 12 peace agreements that have been reached between 1991 and 2001, only four – El Salvador, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Timor-Leste – have included a provision directly related to women.

“Our experience on the ground confirms that women need to be seen as problem-solvers and decision-makers in achieving both economic recovery and lasting peace.”