Managing the economic dimensions of peace processes: resource wealth, autonomy, and peace in Aceh

Peace processes tend to be dominated by issues deriving from the military and political sphere. This is understandable given a mediator’s immediate concern for ending the fighting, and in the best of cases, preparing the ground for demobilization, as well as for some form of power sharing. Often, mediators also have a military or political background while some are simply so-called “political animals”. This perception of peace processes stands in contrast to the proliferation of scholarly work on the economic characteristics of armed conflict. The paper links this literature to the study and practice of peace processes management. Addressing this gap seems both timely and necessary. Together with studies on Sudan (north-south) and Nepal, this working paper is part of a larger project developed with, and generously funded by, Political Affairs Division IV of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. The project analyzes the economic tools in peace processes and identifies their implications for the management of peace processes and post-conflict transitions.