New World Bank research suggests that civil wars are more often fuelled by rebel groups competing with national governments for control of diamonds, coffee, and other valuable primary commodities, rather than by political, ethnic, or religious differences.
Primary commodities are thus a major part of the conflict story.
Since conflict prevention has so far paid little attention to these causes of conflict, there is considerable scope for both domestic and international policy to prevent civil conflict more effectively. This allows them to pay their large numbers of young, poorly-educated soldiers and to keep their rebellion alive domestically as well as internationally. Primary commodities are the most 'lootable' of national assets because they're tied to a single spot like a diamond mine or a coffee plantation. Once a mine shaft has been sunk, it's worth exploiting even if much of the anticipated profits are lost to the rebels. Once coffee trees have been planted, it's still worth harvesting their crop even if much of the coffee has to be surrendered.