Download Diapositiva 1 - Partners for Peace

The way forward: Recommendations on
improving cooperation between RIGOs
and CSOs
A Private Sector’s View
Gilberto Marin Quintero, President of the Board of
the Latin American Business Council, CEAL
November 16, 2011
Nature of conflict
A conflict arises if
• A mutual structure of expectations is disrupted
+As when in a political coalition, one wing perceives the outcomes satisfy only the
other wing
• A significant shift in the balance of powers occurs.
+As when, in very divided democracies, after a Congress election, the opposition
party obtains the majority.
• A disrupted status quo is assumed
+As when a Government’s armed forces invade an independent territory.
• There is a will to conflict
+One or both parties want to enter in conflict
A conflict is aggravated by
•
•
•
•
•
Religious, economic, political, Ideological and/or territorial matters
Poverty
Lack of democracy
Lack of transparency
Human Rights abuse
The privare sector and conflict
•
Private’s sector role is generating wealth and socioeconomic development,
but must also contribute in the prevention and resolution of violent conflicts.
•
Violent conflict and instability impact the private sector negatively through:
– Decreased investment and access to markets
– Damaged infrastructure
– Direct attack
– Loss of employees
– General costs related to the unpredictability of operating in a conflict
environment.
•
How private sector actors can contribute in peacebuilding.
– Economic dimensions: well paid job creation
– Promote education, mainly primary
– Reconciliation: participation in dialogue initiatives
– Political dimension: Lobbying, participation In multi-stakeholder political
peace processes.
– Promote and support creation of democratic institutions
– Promote transparency in public and private organizations
– Respect human rights
Principles for Corporate Engagement
Key management principles to minimize company’s negative impact to
society and enhance positive ones
1. Strategic commitment. CEO and board level leadership supported by
management systems, incentive and training structures to insert
policies into the company’s daily activities.
2. Risk and impact analysis. Evaluate conflict related risks and their
impact on the company’s core business.
3. Dialogue and consultation. with key stakeholder groups engaging
with them on a regular and consultative basis.
4. Partnership and collective action. Partnerships with stakeholders to
address sensitive political and public policy issues and to invest in
practical projects.
5. Evaluation and accountability. Identify key performance indicators for
measuring the company’s impacts and reporting on these to internal
and external stakeholders.
Solutions to current challenges CSOs are facing
1)
Networking, cooperation and integration of peacebuilding priorities:
Change from collaboration to coordination
Work towards reduction of poverty, institution of democratic processes
and provision of political and civil rights
2)
Cooperation with National Governments
Countries that have not signed international declarations or are not part
of international bodies
3)
Work with the “hard to reach”
Engage with non-state armed groups involved in the conflict.
4)
Regional knowledge production systems on conflict and
peacebuilding
Create infrastructure to internally produce, distribute and globally
communicate sensitive analyses of regional conflicts
5)
Build the necessary trust for cooperation