Reconstruction of Economic Governance after Conflict in Resource-rich African Countries: Concepts, Dimensions and Policy Interventions

This study investigates the complex issues of reconstructing economic
governance after conflict in resource-rich African countries. The concept
of economic governance - although based on the overall concept of
governance in developing countries - is important for development,
reconstruction and crisis prevention, and in this study the economic core
functions and dimensions of governance are elaborated in more detail.
This is done by referring to the various conceptual meanings and to the
different theoretical backgrounds, so as to come up with an operational
term. The economic issues of reconstructing governance after civil war
and civil conflict and for preventing and successfully overcoming the
resource curse in resource-rich African countries are classified, and the
most important policy areas and dimensions are elaborated. Also the sub-
regional, provincial and local economic governance issues are presented
to highlight the specific problems of economic reconstruction in regions,
provinces and localities. This is a necessary step as it is important to see
where the resources are located and how the exploitation of resources
takes place, thus often leading to severe negative impacts on the local
people, the traditional economy and the indigenous society. Public
guidance and public action obviously can successfully re-establish
economic governance in such countries at the central and local levels if
certain conditions are met. These conditions are presented in the study.
Obviously a lot can be learned from case studies (such as Nigeria, Sudan,
Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Cameroon,
Ethiopia and Ghana).