Blessing or Curse: Making Earth's Riches Work for Poor and Fragile Countries

Oct 11, 2013 | The World Bank
World Bank Headquarters, Washington, DC

At least 80 percent of countries considered fragile or affected by conflict are home to valuable  extractive resources that the global economy hungers for. Earth’s riches like oil, gas, and minerals often fuel conflict, trapping all but the elites in poverty amid vast wealth.

Creating good governance, including citizen participation and ensuring that economic dividends translate into equitable development is key to managing the extractives industry,  especially in situations where there is conflict. A high-level panel of industry experts and representatives from CSOs and resource rich nations will grapple with the challenges that define poverty or prosperity in a fragile country.

Speakers include: the Hon. Matata Ponyo Mapon, Prime Minister, Democratic Republic of Congo; the Hon. Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão, Prime Minister, Timor-Leste;  Heikki Holmaas, Minister of International Development, Norway; Daniel Kaufmann, President, Revenue Watch Institute; Michiel Kool, Executive Vice President for Social Performance, Shell; Clare Short, Chair, the Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative; and Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer, World Bank Group. The event is moderated by Janine Di Giovanni, Newsweek’s Middle East Editor and advisor to UNHCR.

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