A number of armed conflicts in the third world are financed with raw materials. The relative importance of such income is on the increase, given the diminishing benefits of what is hereby termed as the geo-strategic rent of the cold war. The control of raw materials, territories and marketing networks now influence the strategies of armed groups, the process of conflicts and their resolution. It is however simplistic to qualify these as « resources wars », principally motivated by the cupidity of combatants. Foreign commercial interests and the state of dependency on raw materials, at times resulting in State delinquency, are just as important factors to take into account.

Author: Philippe Le Billon

Published by: Tiers-Monde (2003)