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Natural Resources and Conflict
Natural resource endowment can potentially be a source of income and prosperity for a country, but may also contribute to destabilization and conflict. Often related expectations of prosperity are left unmet, while the environment is damaged and income is channeled, not for development, but into arms trade and further conflict.
In countries such as Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, diamonds and fossil resources have fueled conflicts by challenging livelihoods, threatening the environment, raising disputes over rights to control the resources or providing revenue to cover the cost of war. In the Middle East and in China, water access is a source of conflict. Managing natural resources is a challenge, even in resource-rich countries that are not in conflict, and even more so in unstable and conflict affected areas.
Energy Security in Asia: China, India, Oil and Peace Stein Tønnesson & Åshild Kolås, A report to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on China and India's energy needs and energy security strategies. The report discusses the scope for cooperation and rivalry between these two states, which both depend increasingly on imported oil. And it includes an appendix discussing their rivalry for provision of natural gas from Burma.
Resources Smuggling Fuels Ivory Coast Rebels-UN (October 13, 2005) According to UN experts, revenue from illegal cocoa, cotton and diamonds helps fund military activities of rebel groups in Ivory Coast. Millions of dollars of rough diamonds are mined and exported in spite of a government ban on the trade, fueling conflicts and unrest in neighboring Liberia, Sierra Leone, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Source: Reuters)
We Can Now Cure Dutch Disease (August 18, 2004) Joseph Stiglitz comments on how to mitigate the "resource curse," whereby abundant natural wealth creates rich countries with poor people, and fuels wars and conflict. Stiglitz recommends such countries promote "democratic, consensual and transparent processes," take steps to combat currency appreciation, and use "stabilization funds" to reduce economic volatility linked to resource prices. He also calls on Western governments to implement "common-sense reforms," such as stopping massive arms sales to developing countries. (Source: The Guardian).
Sources of Information:
Global Witness British NGO with publications on the link between natural resources and conflict.
Diamonds & Conflict:
The Kimberley Process In May 2000, Southern African diamond producing states met in Kimberley, South Africa, to come up with a way to stop the trade in conflict diamonds and to ensure consumers that the diamonds that they purchase have not contributed to violent conflict and human rights abuses in their countries of origin. In December 2000, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution supporting the creation of an international certification scheme for rough diamonds. In November 2002, after nearly two years of negotiation, the efforts of governments, the international diamond industry and NGOs culminated in the creation of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). The KPCS outlines the provisions by which the trade in rough diamonds is to be regulated by countries, regional economic integration organisations and rough diamond-trading entities.
Diamond Development Initiative Begins (August 15, 2005) Recognizing the shortcomings of the Kimberley Process, the Diamond Development Initiative (DDI) creates an integrated framework to address underlying problems of diamond-financed wars in Africa. The DDI, a cross-sector initiative that includes representatives from NGOs, donor communities and the diamond industry, could help solve “political, social and economic challenges” of conflict diamonds in Sierra Leone, Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other African nations.
Sources of Information:
Water & Conflict:
"fierce competition for fresh water may well become a source of conflict and wars in the future," United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan (March 2000)
British Defense Secretary John Reid plans to prepare British forces to handle what he calls “the major long-term threat facing our planet:” water wars. Scientists warn that global warming will bring water supplies to a critical point, spurring violent conflicts such as in Darfur where the lack of water and agricultural land have contributed to the ongoing war. Reid believes world leaders should consider the political consequences of failing to deal with “this dire situation.” (Independent)
Are Water Wars a Fantasy, or a Future Reality? (August 29, 2005)The Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI) warns that growing populations will fight over water resources to secure sufficient food production. However, the director of the Center for Science and Environment in New Delhi, Sunita Narain, argues that water wars are not inevitable: “The management of water is critical. Water wars or water peace is in our hands.” (Inter Press Service)
The authors of this Worldwatch Institute article argue that water can work as a pathway to peace rather than causing conflict in the world’s international river basins. Countries build trust and prevent conflict by coming together to jointly manage their shared water resources. Researchers at Oregon State University compiled a dataset of every reported water-related interaction between two or more nations in the last half century. Outside of the Middle East, the researchers found only 5 violent events while countries negotiated and signed 157 treaties.
The United Nations Development Programme produces a Human Development Report every year. The 2006 report focuses on inequality of access to clean water (and sanitation); it finds that 1.2 billion people around the world are without clean water, which is one of the best treatments against easily preventable disease.
The BBC Web site has several articles on water and conflict:
The Water Page is an independent initiative dedicated to the promotion of sustainable water resources management and use. A particular emphasis is placed on the development, utilisation and protection of water in Africa and other developing regions.
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