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Areas Experiencing Armed Conflict 1989–2006

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Focus on Liberia

Reconciliation and Reconstruction in Post-Conflict Countries

“Since the end of the Cold War, most armed conflicts have been within rather than between States.... Far more civilians than soldiers became casualties in these conflicts.”

— The State of World Population 2008

“The cost of war is manifest in the failure of conflict countries to make progress in key areas of development.... However, when peace is achieved and sustained, recovery is possible.”

— “The Aftermath of Civil War”

How can we help post-conflict nations rebuild?

Focus on Liberia

1989 – 2003

Brutal civil wars ravage Liberia
Over 200,000 people killed and 1 million displaced
Conflicts lay waste to infrastructure and economy

2003 – 2007

Comprehensive Peace Agreement, 2003
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf elected president in late 2005
Sporadic violence undermines peace
Mid-2007: Security improves but challenges persist for meeting basic human needs

Social Indicators, 2006

Population: 3.6 million
Per capita income: $130
Average life expectancy: 45.3 years
Infant mortality rate: 157 deaths per 1,000 live births

— World Bank, World Development Indicators

“In countries emerging from conflict...international actors often play an important role in supporting fragile institutions and build[ing] peace and the rule of law.”

— Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights