More people have been killed in conflicts since 1945 than in the two world wars. But the nature of war has changed. Set piece battles between the armies of warring nations are rare. The face of war now is civil conflict.
In Nations Zero we travel to four countries that have recently experienced civil conflict: Bosnia-Herzegovina, Colombia, Rwanda, and Afghanistan.
Overwhelmingly, we find in Nations Zero, the victims are civilians, not soldiers. And they are victims of more than weapons, displacement and disease. They are victims of the damage that civil conflict does to a country’s economy.
So, as the UN has recently recognised with the founding of the Peace Commission, peace does not come with the signing of a piece of paper, it comes when there is an investment in sustainable development.
In Nations Zero, Paul Collier - main author of the World Bank’s policy paper Breaking the Conflict Trap - pours scorn on those who argue that war is inevitable.
Continent(s):
Europe / Africa / Middle East / Central America / South America /
Topic(s):
Conflict / Development / Economics / Humanitarian / Post-conflict / Refugees / Human rights / Politics / Violence /
Audio:
English
Duration:
46'
Location(s):
Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Rwanda
