Entrepreneurship and Private Sector Development in Fragile States

‘New insights and lessons from the field’

A seminar on entrepreneurship and private sector development in fragile states was held on the 24th of June, which none other than our colleague Dr Rens Twijnstra spoke at.The seminar discussed new insights and lessons from the field, as in recent years Private Sector Development (PSD) and entrepreneurship support have taken center-stage in the international community’s approach to promoting security and development in fragile and conflict-affected states. This seminar was held to promote new insights from the domains of academia,policy and business itself with regards to PSD and entrepreneurship in fragile and conflict-affected states.The seminar focused on these main questions: how does Dutch development policy envision the role of businesses in promoting growth and equity in fragile states? What are the preconditions for international businesses to invest or start a joint venture or (post)-conflict environment? What is the significance of transnational diaspora entrepreneurs? How can women’s enterprise groups boost business engagement and local conditions of peace?

The seminar was organised by the IS Academy Human Security in Fragile States & Ministry of Foreign Affairs,Sustainable Economic Department.