22 - Sharing Resource Wealth in Conflict Settlements

Summary

The chapter examines three distinct issues related to the sharing of resources in conflict settlements: revenue sharing, shared access to and use of a resource (e.g. water); and shared management arrangements. It draws lessons from how these issues have been handled in federal and devolved governance regimes. It distinguishes between how resource provisions may relate to ending a conflict on the one hand and to promoting longer-term development on the other hand. In finds that relatively few conflict settlements include meaningful provisions on these three aspects of resource sharing. The sharing of revenues, or of access to a resource, is easier to resolve than sharing of management, though there can still be important engagement of local and regional communities and governments in the decision-making process. Moreover, there are established guidelines on good resource and revenue management, including in devolved contexts, that should be considered in peace settlements.