The experience and lessons of the last two decades have shown that ignoring the key
differences between the economics of peace and the economics of development has
been a major reason why countries relapse into conflict. This paper briefly analyses
such differences and their important implications for effective policymaking in war-torn
countries, and against this background, it makes recommendations for the creation of
reconstruction zones in Liberia.
Reconstruction zones would have two distinct but linked areas to ensure synergies
between them—an export-oriented reconstruction zone, consisting of any existing
agricultural or mining foreign concession, and a local production reconstruction zone
focusing on rural development, that would produce agricultural goods, food, light
manufacturing and services for the domestic market, including for the concessions.