8:30 Light breakfast

09:00

Inaugural Address:

H.E. Ms. Louise Fréchette, Deputy Secretary-General, United Nations

The Honorable Mr. Jan Petersen, Foreign Minister of Norway

09:15 Welcome

David M. Malone, President, International Peace Academy

& opening remarks:

Mr. Jon-Hannsen-Bauer, Director, Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies

09:30 Session 1

Economic Agendas & Armed Conflict: Identifying Issues and Challenges 

There are a wide variety of economic activities that fuel civil wars. Some are licit, others clearly criminal, some are necessary to civilian welfare, while others are manifestly predatory. Although a number of these activities directly feed armed hostilities, most economic behavior contributes to conflict in more diffuse and indirect ways. This complex reality presents policy-makers with the two-fold challenge of accurately assessing the impact of discrete economic behaviors on conflict dynamics and of designing effective policy responses.

What are the main types of conflict-promoting economic activities? What role do economic factors play in causing and prolonging armed conflict? What challenges do they pose for conflict-prevention, conflict resolution, and post-conflict reconstruction?

Chair:

David M. Malone, President, International Peace Academy

Speakers:

Dr. Paul Collier, Director, Development Research Group, World Bank

Mr. Patrick Alley, Director, Global Witness & Researcher, Fafo project Economies of Conflict

Dr. Mats Berdal, Director of Studies, International Institute for Strategic Studies

Discussant:

H.E. Mr. Adolfo Aguillar Zinser, Permanent Representative of  Mexico to the United Nations

10:30 Session 2

Regulating Conflict-Promoting Economic Activities: Tools and Strategies

Both licit and illicit forms of trade, production, and investment have been found to fuel armed conflict, but in distinctive ways. How is complicity defined for each type of activity? What strategies and tools have been developed to regulate them? Are there areas where these activities overlap and where common legal codes, policy strategies, and policy tools may be applied?

Chair:

H.E. Mr. Wegger Christian Strømmen, Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations

Panel:

Dr. Virginia Hauffler, Professor of Government, University of Maryland 

Ian Smillie, Partnership Africa Canada, former member of UN Experts

Panel on Sierra Leone, Researcher, Fafo project Economies of Conflict.

Dr. Jonathan Winer, former Asst. Dep. Secretary of State for International Law Enforcement, US State Department & Researcher, Fafo project Economies of Conflict.

Discussant:

H.E. Mr. Alfonso Valdivieso, Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations

11:45  Break

12:00 Session 3

Assessing Recent UN Initiatives

Recently, the UN has recognized various linkages between resource and financial flows and armed conflict. Important UN initiatives include: Security Council-sponsored sanctions regimes and Experts Panels, UN Conventions against Transnational Organized Crime and Global Terrorism, and the UN Global Compact's effort to engage Private Sector actors on issue of peace and security. In what ways have these initiatives strengthened UN Capacity? Could these initiatives be expanded to develop a more comprehensive normative and policy framework?

Chair:

David M. Malone, President, International Peace Academy

Speakers:

H.E. Mr. Stewart Eldon, Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations

Ambassador Mr. Juan Larrain, Chair, United Nations Monitoring Mechanism on Sanctions against UNITA

Discussant:

H.E. Mrs. Claudia Fritsche, Permanent Representative of the Principality of Liechtenstein to the United Nations

1:00 Summation:

Policy Lessons for the UN

Chairs:

H.E. Mr. Wegger Strømmen, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Norwegian Mission to the United Nations

David M. Malone, President, International Peace Academy

An agenda for a response to the problem of economies which sustain conflict is emerging at the UN. Which sorts of activities may be best addressed by the Security Council, by other UN agencies, regional organizations, or member states? (e.g. UN sanctions regimes and the work of the Expert Panels / monitoring mechanisms). How can the UN assist regional and sub-regional organizations to strengthen their capacities and develop a coordinated policy response?

1:15

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