Economics of Peace: the role of businesses in Colombia's armed conflict

Details

Supervisors

de Nanteuil, Matthieu

Faculty

Louvain School of Management

Degree label

Master [120] : ingénieur de gestion, à finalité spécialisée

Abstract

enThis thesis explores the underexamined role of the private sector in peacebuilding processes, with a focus on Colombia. It argues that peace is not merely about silencing weapons or signing agreements but involves an economic dimension. Through a comparative analysis with South Africa and Northern Ireland, the study highlights how, in those contexts, businesses moved from complicity or neutrality to active participation in peace processes. In contrast, Colombian companies, while holding significant power and potential, have mostly remained cautious and fragmented in their engagement. The thesis traces this dynamic across key phases: before, during, and after the 2016 peace agreement. It shows that Colombian businesses often prioritized stability and continuity over transformative change, partly due to entrenched power structures and economic models that benefited from the conflict. The thesis concludes by proposing a typology of corporate engagement trajectories and underscores the need for a more proactive and transformative involvement of businesses in creating a just, lasting, and locally anchored peace.