Publication

Fragile states offer sites of competitive advantage for militant organizations, criminal networks, and political leaders alike. Collaboration among them may benefit all three – financing militancy, protecting crime, and securing political control. Yet the international community currently lacks a coherent approach to tackling organized crime in conflict-affected communities. The author of this paper argues that there are normative, analytical, and practical obstacles to the development of an effective response to these actors and offers a series of practical recommendations for developing a more strategic response.