The distortion and manipulation of economic processes during conflict, however, have beneficial effects for some groups but detrimental ones for others. Loss and vulnerability is generally unevenly distributed. In Sudan and Sierra Leone, emphasis on the ethnic and religious bases of conflict masked the significance of economic policies and outcomes. Negative aggregate effects on output, food production, investment, and exports are almost invariable. The pre-war state of the economy is a key determinant of the economic and social impact of a conflict.
Some groups gain from conflict and then have a motive for sustaining it.
External financial support that ignores the political economy of a conflict can mask the macroeconomic costs of war, increase benefits to those with a vested interest in prolonging conflict, and make assistance ineffective. Both donor and government policy can lessen the economic and social costs of war, during a conflict. It is crucial to follow policies which will permit people to sustain their entitlements. This involves policies that avoid major macro-economic disruptions, sustain public services, and ensure that households gain adequate access to food. All rights reserved.