A conference on the post-conflict situation in the West African “fragile states” of Liberia, Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire, organized by the Centre for International Governance Innovation, the Laurier Centre for Strategic Military and Disarmament Studies and the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre was held in Accra, Ghana, on 6-7 December 2007. The conference, “From Civil Strife to Peace Building: Examining Private Sector Involvement in West African Reconstruction,” focused on peacebuilding efforts currently underway in the three countries and the role the private sector plays as a catalyst for economic growth and political stability in the historically war-ravaged region. The conference brought together leading international academics and respected policy makers from around Africa and elsewhere who have been directly involved in issues relating to peacebuilding efforts and economic reconstruction initiatives.
