While I guess it can’t hurt to have an additional paper drawing attention to the role of natural resource managment in peacebuilding, I was somewhat disappointed with the lack of emphasis on the private sector in the UN Environmental Programme’s new report, ” From Conflict to Peacebuilding: The Role of Natural Resources and the Environment”. Contrary to the Forward section, I don’t think it is contorversial that natural resources and conflict are often linked. Many organizations, including the UN, have been making the case for many years. I hope the next research paper on the topic will address the sixth bullet of recommendation No. 5: “More systematic efforts are needed by the UN and national governments to engage the private sector in the development of policies on natural resources and the environment”.
It was the only reference to business or the private sector in the paper.
I still think this type of idea is needed more often.
Also, Paul Collier offered more good ideas in a paper for the EITI in October: “Implications of Changed International Conditions for EITI”.
