Moving beyond Sanctions: Evolving Integrated Strategies to Address Post-Conflict Natural Resource-Based Challenges in Liberia

Abstract

Liberia is emerging from 14 years of war where it served as the epicentre in West Africa of conflict fuelled by disputes over natural resources. Almost three years after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement there remain resource-rich, poorly managed areas where ex-combatants wield considerable power due to lack of law-and-order capacity and alternative livelihood opportunities. Gaining government control of such areas and prohibiting the use of timber and diamonds to fuel conflict are central to the lifting of sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council in May 2003. This article examines the efforts of the Liberian government, the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and other international partners to evacuate Sapo National Park as a case study for establishing control of natural resources – an important post-conflict challenge that can undermine the building of peace. Critical components of what worked are examined in an effort to design and implement an integrated strategy, as are ongoing operational, coordination and other challenges. The case study illustrates the complexity of issues raised by, and the need to move beyond, sanctions for peace to be sustainable in resource-rich countries emerging from war.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Ballentine

Nitzschke

(2003). Beyond Greed and Grievance: Policy Lessons from Studies in the Political Economy of Armed Conflict. International Peace Academy (IPA) Policy Report 2005 eds, Profiting from Peace: Managing the Resource Dimension of Armed Conflict, Boulder: Lynne Rienner.

Blundell

Bodian

Callamand

Carisch

Fithen

Kelley

(2003). Report on the Impact of Timber Sanctions on Liberia. August Panel report UN Security Council Document S/2003/779.

Cater

(2003). The Political Economy of Conflict and UN Intervention: Rethinking the Critical Cases of Africa. Beyond Greed and Grievance: Policy Lessons from Studies in the Political Economy of Armed Conflict Ballentine

Nitzschke

19–45.

Collier

Hoeffler

(2001). Greed and Grievance in Civil War Washington, DC: World Bank.

(2002). Logging Off: How the Liberian Timber Industry Fuels Liberia's Humanitarian Disaster and Threatens Sierra Leone. Global Witness available at http://globalwitness.org/reports/show.php/en.00006.html.

Humphreys

Richards

(2005). Prospects and Opportunities for Achieving the MDGs in Postconflict Countries: A Case Study of Sierra Leone and Liberia CGSD Working Paper No. 27 Columbia University October available at www.earthinstitute.columbia.edu/cgsd/documents/HumphreysRichards.pdf.

Jackson

(2005). Protecting Livelihoods in Violent Economies. Profiting From Peace: Managing the Resource Dimensions of Civil War Ballentine Nitszchke 153–182.

Le Billon

(2003). Fuelling War: Natural Resources and Armed Conflicts. Adelphi Paper Oxford: OUP 357.

Nitzschke

(2003). Transforming War Economies: Challenges for Peacemaking and Peacebuilding. Report of the IPA-sponsored conference Wilton Park 27–29 October.

10.

UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) Millennium Development Goals for Liberia 2004.

11.

UN (United Nations) Common Country Assessment, Liberia Monrovia: United Nations 2006.

12.

UNSC (United Nations Security Council) 2005Panel of Experts letter of 7 December from chairman of Security Council committee established pursuant to Resolution 1521 (2003) addressed to the President of the Security Council; available at www.un.org/docs/sc/.