From War to Illicit Economies
Publisher: German Institute for International and Security Affairs
Author(s): Judith Vorrath
Date: 2014
Topics: Extractive Resources, Governance, Renewable Resources
Countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone
Organized crime in fragile and conflict-affected states is increasingly seen as a threat for security and development alike. The Human Security Report 2011 refers to organized crime as an external stress factor penetrating already vulnerable states and contributing to repeated cycles of violence. Previously, crime got more attention as a factor that prolonged ongoing civil wars by fuelling war economies. From this perspective, threats emanate from criminal networks undermining peacebuilding due to incentives for continuing shadowy business. In many post-conflict countries, both dynamics are at play, as peace processes involve efforts to (re)build states that are characterized by weak authority, capacity, and legitimacy as well as to transform war economies.
These parallel processes have also taken place in Liberia and Sierra Leone since the end of their civil wars. The two neighboring countries not only experienced severe armed conflict and extensive war economies, but their conflicts were also strongly linked. Finally, the international engagement to keep peace based on two large UN missions involved far-reaching efforts of state-building in both cases. A core focus of these activities was strengthening the rule of law and reforming the security sector. However, the common assessment is that Liberia and Sierra Leone remain fragile states. Aspects of fragility such as insufficient management of borders, weak regulation, and ineffective law enforcement are seen as invitations to organized criminal networks. But how exactly does organized crime occur in these contexts?