ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that while the impact of economic forces has been underestimated and needs to be better understood, the economic dynamics of conflict must be integrated in a multilayered analysis that takes into consideration the interaction between political and economic motivations. That in turn raises the question of the impact of humanitarian aid and peace operations on the political economy of conflict. This should lead to a rethinking of how the United Nations addresses peace operations, taking into consideration the unintended impact they have on the political economy of conflict, and the political economy of rivalries and competition between member states. In a world increasingly shaped by transnational forces, peace operations need to be part of a broader strategy that addresses the transnational context. How effective can such a strategy be in an increasingly divided world remains an open question. In the end, the most important lesson of a broader understanding of the political economy of conflict is a genuine acknowledgment of the many limitations of a peacemaking and peacekeeping strategy. That does not disqualify peace operations as an indispensable tool of peacemaking and peace building, but it should encourage humility, so that the goals are tailored to the limited shared ambitions of a fractured international community.
