Post-conflict reconstruction is a crucial period for societies dealing with the damage inflicted by violence. Those societies face complex challenges. But they also have a unique opportunity to build institutions of democratic governance and market economy. Capturing this opportunity is a necessary condition for achieving long-term development. In the short term, reconstruction is a balancing act of providing humanitarian relief without compromising the recipient country’s ability to develop a local capacity for sustained growth. International assistance is an important factor in reconstruction, but not without risks. In most cases, aid flows are poorly timed, do not account well for the absorptive capacity, and trigger some negative macroeconomic phenomena. The key lesson – and challenge – is to make sure that proper mechanisms exist for transparency, accountability, and grassroots input regarding how this aid is applied.
Transcripts available in English and Arabic
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