The Impact of Development Co-operation in Conflict Situations: German Experience in Six Countries

Within a debate about the contribution that development co-operation (DC) can make to stable and peaceful development in conflict situations, development agencies are trying to gain a better understanding of their options. This article deals with the experience and findings of German DC in six countries. The direct influence of DC on conflict situations is limited. Conflict recognition and the flow of information are important and this has been sometimes deficient or even highly problematic. DC actors are often insufficiently aware of conflict situations and there are no real 'conflict strategies'. German DC pursued very different strategies in the countries studied: sometimes German governmental DC tried to act independently of the actual or potential conflict, whilst on other occasions efforts were made to help prevent crises or resolve conflicts. The six country studies differ in their conclusions on the overall impact of German DC on potential and actual conflict situations: some positive and some negative. All the studies identify opposing tendencies (ambivalence); in each case German DC may exacerbate potential or actual conflict situations as well as make positive contributions.