The reform of freetown port – lessons from Political Economy Analysis (PEA) to make conflict sensitivity more efficient

ABSTRACT

Political Economy Analysis (PEA), which is concerned with the interaction of political and economic processes, is a useful tool to improve the efficiency of development, humanitarian, and peacebuilding practice. However, it has important shortcomings too. Using the reforms in the Port of Freetown as a case study, this paper explores the most important ones while highlighting some of the elements undermining the successful operationalisation of conflict sensitivity. The article suggests that both tools should be mainstreamed within organisations as the first step to improve their effectiveness, which in turn requires a re-thinking of its operational and decision-making structures.

KEYWORDS:

• Developmental policies; governance and public policy; methods

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The assignment included a field visit to Freetown during which 35 in-depth interviews were held with representatives from all private and public actors involved in Port. Representatives from donors like the World Bank or FCDO were also met.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mateo Cabello

Mateo Cabello is a Political Economy Analysis (PEA) and Thinking and Working Politically (TWP) specialist with 22 years of professional experience in this area. He holds a PhD in Economics and International Development by the University of Bath (UK) and his professional experience covers a wide range of sector, namely public governance, agricultural and rural development, financial sector, extractive activities, as well as infrastructure, trade and energy. Mateo has completed more than 35 PEA/TWP projects in 24 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa y LATAM mostly, but also in MENA region and Asia. His clients include the FCDO, World Bank, GIZ, MCC or NORAD among others.

Claudio Alberti

Claudio Alberti holds a PhD in International and Peace Studies from Trinity College Dublin, with a research exploring the use of adaptive approaches to peacebuilding in the Eastern DRC. He currently working as Humanitarian Performance Manager at the UNICEF Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia based in Geneva. Prior to serving in this position, Claudio worked in progressively responsible positions at UNHQ, swisspeace, and in Central/South Asia and Subsaharan Africa with UNICEF, UN DPO, and UN PBF.