In countries that have large raw material deposits, the period after a violent conflict has promising but also dangerous potential when it comes to distributing the revenues from commodities. Without sufficient framework measures, the wealth is not distributed adequately enough to satisfy all parties involved in the former conflicts and ensure peace in the long term. In his article, Philipp le Billon proposes the best way to implement the redistribution of the raw material revenues so that the country’s wealth is used for the good of all and not as a basis for the emergence of further conflicts.

le Billon works out seven strategies for organizing the extraction of raw materials to better facilitate peacebuilding. An important point, for example, is that licenses should only be distributed by the legitimate government and not by a conflict party. The international companies particularly need to help ensure this to avoid supporting rebel governments. Le Billon sees another opportunity in waiting to distribute production licenses to support local entrepreneurship as another important tool for extracting raw materials in a way that builds peace. This would allow the local population to play a greater role and would create new structures.

In conclusion, le Billon recognizes the reality of extracting raw materials and its conflict potential and establishes a framework for how peacebuilding and national raw material revenues can be as compatible as possible with sustainable peace.