Private Sector Peacebuilding in Colombia and Ciudad Juarez

Popular conceptions portray the private sector as profit-driven, supporter of armed groups, and unconcerned with the well-being of society. Focusing on small to medium sized businesses in Colombia and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, I contest this inaccurate notion of the private sector and highlight the extraordinary ability of some businesses to contribute to peace. The paper also explore the various financial and other costs violence exacts on businesses. In Colombia, local, individual business driven initiatives are frequently successful, whereas larger business association programs attempting to respond to the general climate of violence tend to have fewer lasting results. In Ciudad Juárez, conversely, local business associations represent the more successful approach. I argue that the differing peacebuilding approaches and their varying degrees of success are the result of the distinct histories of the private sector in each country. Lastly, I analyze how businesses can act as a positive force for peace.