1. +
Natural resources and
peacebuilding –
Learning from Cambodia
Blake D. Ratner
b.ratner@cgiar.org

2. History
 20 years ago UN made its largest UNAMIC / UNTAC operations. (Photo: Australian Army)
investment in peacekeeping &
building institutions of democratic
governance
 coincided with shift to market-based
economy
 contemporary conflicts focus Kompong Thom. (Photo: Lukas Reuttinger)
significantly on land, other natural
resources
Protest over land claims, Kratie. (Photo: Phnom Penh Post)

3. Natural resources and conflict
 natural resources long a source of
conflict
 control of natural resources to finance
Logging near Palin. (Photo: AP)
civil war
 took new forms in post-war context
stakeholder
representation  resource governance remains central
to prospects for conflict
transformation and prevention
governance  what does it mean?
mechanisms of distribution of
accountability power

4. Example: Community forestry, Oddar
Meanchey
 pressured by market forces
 benefit from legal authority for
community forestry
Monks Community Forest (Photo: Chanta Elkin, ARC)
 but these rights are
compromised, fragile
Prey Samakki Community Forest, Oddar Meanchey. (Photo: UNDP)
Marching in Phnom Penh for Prey Lang Forest. (Photo: Prey Lang Network)

5. Example: Community
fisheries, Kompong Thom
 constrained by unequal access
 mobilized to expand resource access
Phat Sanday village, Kompong Thom. (Photo: Lukas Reuttinger)
 recent national policy reform
 continued risk of social conflict
Kim Kimheng, Coaltition of Cambodian Fishers, Kompong Thom.
Phat Sanday village, Kompong Thom. (Photo: Lukas Reuttinger)

6. How is NRM integrated into national
policy and conflict resolution efforts?
 expert advisory role  multi-stakeholder engagement
 typical beginning point for  convening, dialogue, capacity
international agencies building
 top-down, focused on law &  requires investing in
policy understanding local institutional
 often short-term dynamics, building trust
assessments  aims at strengthening
institutions, institutional
relationships that endure
Local and provincial consultations, “Strengthening resilience of community fisheries of the Tonle Sap Lake”. (Photos: WorldFish Center)

7. What influences success integrating
NRM and conflict management?
 outcomes vary by approach
 outcomes vary by governance context
 these two factors are connected
Exploring
the potential
 learning requires cycle of action & reflection for
collaboration
Evaluating
outcomes
and
sustaining Facilitating
collaboration dialogue and
action