Building Peace and Prosperity: What Business Can Do

Violent conflict is the biggest obstacle to sustainable development, yet the economic dimensions of conflict are often overlooked. At the same time, there is overwhelming evidence of the cost of conflict to the economy — in 2016, the economic impact of violence was US$ 14.3 trillion in purchasing power parity, equivalent to over 12 per cent of global GDP.

The private sector has an enormous stake in the search for solutions. Sitting at the crossroads of culture, commerce and creativity, businesses can contribute the resources and incentives to help bring stability and create the conditions for peace — and with peace comes the opportunity for sustainable development.