“The Last Mile”: Laying the Political and Security Foundations First for Peace, Then Development

Poverty, while declining worldwide, is increasingly concentrated in regions fraught with violence and instability. Roughly half of the world’s poor live in fragile states. The international community encourages peace agreements, focusing less on the long-term stability needed for economic development. The Central African Republic is an example, facing cyclical violence and lack of economic development despite international aid. Bruce Jones, writing for Brookings Institution blog, points to the exclusive nature of post-violence settlements. Compromises among elite groups, while useful for the short-term, must also endorse a political process with a broad reach to all sectors of society. Elite pacts must transition into legitimate institutions. International groups like the United Nations are restricted in their involvement; longstanding rules preclude political involvement in the development process. Jones proposes new international bodies for institution building, trying to avoid politics and bureaucratic constraints while drawing on the diverse experiences of established bodies like the UN. – YaleGlobal