Dr. Viva Bartkus joined a panel discussion at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) in 2015. During this discussion, she paints a picture of how combatants are using business to shape warfare. We have seen those who use financial stability and to offer opportunity to locals have an advantage in recruiting fighters and leaders to their cause.
Foreign aid has been decidedly ineffective at driving economic growth for those with the greatest need.
And while recent economic development projects have for eminently understandable reasons focused on improving livelihoods for women, such efforts risk ignoring the struggles of healthy, military-aged males — those most vulnerable to recruitment by violent extremist organizations (VEOs).
Key economic research
- 70% of the poorest billion people on earth have experienced conflict in the last 10 years.
- Decreasing a nation’s GDP by one half doubles the likelihood of conflict (poverty)
- Decreasing the economic growth rate of a country by 1% increases the chance of conflict by 1% (hopelessness)
An economist considering areas most at risk for conflict would argue the most powerful way to end conflict is to develop partnerships with all organizations with a stake in peace to offer financial stability and economic opportunity to local community members.
Watch the full discussion here: