The Private Sector as a Stakeholder in Inclusive Peacebuilding

Any serious notion of ‘inclusivity’ in peacebuilding arguably cannot omit the private sector. Business people, firms, financial institutions, for-profit collectives and others are important socio-political actors in addition to their economic role. In any given setting they may be capable of helping or hindering wider efforts to prevent conflict and consolidate peace. Policymakers and practitioners can conceivably advance their peacebuilding and development objectives by being more open to engaging business actors. Such engagement would look to better understand, influence and potentially harness these actors’ peacebuilding-related impacts, interests and ideas. What does it really mean to ‘engage’ the private sector in peacebuilding, beyond mere rhetoric about including ‘all stakeholders’? What are the policy risks of closer relations, and how do policymakers decide which businesses might be appropriate dialogue or project partners? Why should business people be interested in appropriate overt collaboration on peacebuilding? How have authorities ignored or indulged business interests in past conflict-affected situations?