The Crime-Conflict Nexus: Assessing the Threat and Developing Solutions

This research aims to draw lessons to limit the impact of organised crime on conflict, peace negotiations and political transitions

From:
Department for International Development
Published
16 May 2017
Country:
Afghanistan, Burma, Colombia, El Salvador, Libya, Nigeria
Document Type:
Thematic Summary
Theme:
Governance and Conflict
Authors:
de Boer, J, Bosetti, L

Abstract

This paper is part of the United Nations University Centre for Policy Research’s Crime-Conflict Nexus Series

The aim of this research was to draw lessons from a series of case studies and identify recommendations for international actors to limit the impact of organised crime on conflict, peace negotiations, and political transitions. A comprehensive review of the literature led the research team to focus on 3 lines of inquiry where the evidence base was deemed to be particularly weak; where the impact of organised crime was apparent; and where external actors could make a difference. To that end, the team sought to assess the:

  1. impact of global illicit flows on local conflict dynamics (focusing on the cases of Libya and Nigeria)

  2. impact of criminal agendas on negotiating an end to violence and conflict (with Colombia as a case study)

  3. impact of political-criminal alliances on political transitions (with Afghanistan and Myanmar as case studies)

The investigation included field work in Colombia, Libya, Myanmar and Nigeria. Additional research was conducted for cases involving Afghanistan and El Salvador. The objective of these case studies was twofold:

  • to establish a contextualized understanding of the conditions and mechanisms through which organised crime influences either conflict, agreements to end violence and conflict, or political transitions

  • to identify approaches that could work to prevent these conditions and mechanisms from developing or further consolidating.

This research was funded under the Department for International Development’s Policy Research Fund

Citation

John de Boer and Louise Bosetti. The Crime-Conflict Nexus: Assessing the Threat and Developing Solutions . United Nations University Centre for Policy Research Crime-Conflict Nexus Series: No 1, May 2017, 12p

The Crime-Conflict Nexus: Assessing the Threat and Developing Solutions

Published 16 May 2017
Contents