Fuelling War: Natural Resources and Armed Conflicts

by Le Billon; Philippe

• ISBN13: 9780415379700
• ISBN10: 0415379709
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2006-03-06
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

A generous endowment of natural resources should favor rapid economic and social development. The experience of countries like Angola and Iraq, however, suggests that resource wealth often proves a curse rather than a blessing. Billions of dollars from resource exploitation benefit repressive regimes and rebel groups, at a massive cost for local populations. ThisAdelphi Paperanalyzes the economic and political vulnerability of resource-dependent countries; assesses how resources influence the likelihood and course of conflicts; and discusses current initiatives to improve resource governance in the interest of peace. It concludes that long-term stability in resource-exporting regions will depend on their developmental outcomes, and calls for a broad reform agenda prioritizing the basic needs and security of local populations.

Author Biography

Philippe Le Billon is Assistant Professor at the University of British Columbia with the Department of Geography and the Liu Institute for Global Issues.

Table of Contents

Glossary	p. 5
Introduction	p. 7
The resource curse	p. 11
Iraq and the resource curse	p. 14
The collapse of economic growth	p. 16
Governance failure	p. 20
Resources, governance failure and identity in Nigeria	p. 24
Conflicts and violence	p. 25
Resources and armed conflicts	p. 29
War and resource accessibility	p. 31
Resources and types of armed conflicts	p. 37
Influencing the course of armed conflicts	p. 43
Implications for conflict prevention and termination	p. 51
Addressing the resource curse	p. 51
Ending resource wars	p. 57
Increasing corporate responsibility	p. 69
Regulating conflict diamonds	p. 74
Conclusion	p. 81
Notes	p. 85
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