Extractive Industries and Peacebuilding in Afghanistan: The Role of Social Accountability
Publisher: United States Institute of Peace
Author(s): Sadaf Lakhani
Date: 2013
Topics: Economic Recovery, Extractive Resources, Governance, Monitoring and Evaluation
Countries: Afghanistan
Recent estimates of deposits in Afghanistan indicate that mineral extraction could contribute to the economic growth the country needs to sustain its efforts in peacebuilding and development after 2014. This report argues that integrating social accountability measures into governance of the extractive industry can help alleviate violent conflict by ensuring a more equitable distribution of the benefits as well as facilitate greater confidence in the state and a molding of the social contract. The U.S. Institute of Peace is working with Integrity Watch Afghanistan in testing some of the concepts in this report through a project to help support social accountability in Afghanistan’s mining sector.