Natural Resource Management in Post-Conflict Situations: Challenges and Opportunities
Jun 2, 2014
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United Nations University, Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations
Belgian Mission, New York
Natural resource exploitation can offer opportunities and present challenges for resource-endowed countries, in particular in post-conflict situations. If effectively managed, natural resource exploitation offers countries opportunities to revitalize their economy and foster resilience by leveraging resource endowments to mobilize revenues, deliver basic services, build infrastructure, create employment and support the sustainable development of the country. On the other hand, weak management, trafficking and illicit trade can contribute to conflict onset or recurrence, extended conflict duration and the spoiling of peace processes.
The United Nations University (UNU) and the Permanent Mission of Belgium to the UN are convening a roundtable to discuss the challenges and opportunities linked to the management of natural resources in countries emerging from conflict. The roundtable will address the following questions:
- What mechanisms and policies can post-conflict countries use to ensure natural resource management contributes to post-conflict recovery, economic revitalization, job creation and to avoid it becoming a factor of instability;
- What lessons and experiences can be learned from countries facing similar challenges, to help transform natural wealth into peace dividends to drive post-conflict recovery.
The roundtable will consider those questions in light of recent experiences from post-conflict countries.
Moderator:
Mr James Cockayne (Head of Office, UN University)
Opening Remarks:
H.E. Ambassador Bénédicte Frankinet (Permanent Representative of Belgium to the UN)
Speakers:
Mr David Jensen (Head of the Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding Programme at theUnited Nations Environment Program)
Mr Herbert M’Cleod (Special Adviser, Office of the President of Sierra Leone)
Respondents:
Mr. Mesmin Dembassa Worogagoi (Chargé d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of the Central African Republic to the UN),
Dr Elias T. Ayuk (Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA)
Date: 2 June 2014
Time: 2.00pm to 5.00pm
Location:
Permanent Mission of Belgium to the United Nations
One Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza, 885 Second Avenue, 41st Floor, New York, N.Y. 10017
Please Note: Attendance at this event is by invitation only.