Seminar: Doing business in fragile states

The seminar sheds light on trade and business in conflict affected or politically instable contexts. With important exceptions, multinational corporations rarely invest or become active in fragile states. Instead commodities of all sorts are marketed, transported, insured and protected by local and transnational traders in spite of political instability. How do these actors operate? What is their relation to the state? And can external actors support their business? This seminar brings together international researchers, consultants and development professionals to discuss select issues, problems and opportunities of doing business in fragile states. The seminar is organized by the collaborative GOVSEA development research project funded by Danida.

Speakers

  • Tobias Hagmann, Associate Professor, Roskilde University, Denmark 
  • Rima das Pradhan-Blach, Consultant and Policy Advisor, Denmark
  • Ahmed M. Musa, Doctoral Student, University of Nairobi, Kenya
  • Kate Meagher, Associate Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
  • Asnake Kefale, Assistant Professor, Forum for Social Studies, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia
  • Jonathan Goodhand, Professor, SOAS University of London, UK
  • Gianluca Iazzolino, Research Fellow, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK
  • Rens Twijnstra, Senior Consultant, Ecorys, Netherlands
  • Neil Carrier, Lecturer, University of Bristol, UK
  • Jonathan van Eerd, Senior Political Risk Analyst for Middle East and Africa, Swiss Re, Zurich, Switzerland
  • Nicolai Boserup, Senior Vice President, IFU, Denmark
  • Finn Stepputat, senior researcher, DIIS
  • Nauja Kleist, Senior Researcher, DIIS
  • Peer Schouten, Post-doc, DIIS

Programme

12.00-12.30

Standing lunch
12.30-12.45

Welcome and introduction
Finn Stepputat & Tobias Hagmann
12.45-13.45 Session 1: Moving stuff in tough places
Nauja Kleist, moderator

Developing infrastructure in conflict-affected states
Rima das Pradhan-Blach
Moving livestock in northern Somalia
Ahmed M. Musa
Checkpoints and infrastructure in Central Africa
Peer Schouten
13.45-14.30

Session 2: Making revenue: taxes, bribes and fees
Tobias Hagmann, moderator
Taxing the informal economy: the case of northern Nigeria
Kate Meagher
What is contraband? Commodities and customs in the Ethio-Somali borderland
Asnake Kefale
14.30-14.45 Coffee break
14.45-15.45 Session 3: Trading at the margins
tbc, moderator
Doing business in the Myanmar, Colombian and Afghan borderlands
Jonathan Goodhand
Mobile money and investments in the greater Somali economy
Gianluca Iazzolino
Nurturing small and medium enterprises in the margins
Rens Twijnstra
15.45-16.30

Session 4: Financing and insuring business in fragile states
Finn Stepputat, moderator
Somali business in Nairobi’s Eastleigh, the local perspective
Neil Carrier
Insuring businesses in politically unstable contexts
Jonathan van Eerd
16.30-17.30

Conclusion: Supporting business in fragile states
Tobias Hagmann, moderator
Nicolai Boserup
Kate Meagher

Practical information

The seminar will be held in English. Participants are invited to a standing lunch in front of the DIIS auditorium before the seminar starts.
Participation is free of charge, but registration is required. Please use our online registration form no later than Wednesday 17 April 2019 at 10.00.

Register here.

Source: DIIS