Entrepreneurship is widely acknowledged as a catalyst for poverty reduction and economic development. Yet its role in conflict reduction and social development is largely understudied. This paper presents evidence from a field survey conducted among a sample of Rwanda's emerging specialty coffee farmers and workers at coffee washing stations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that quantitatively analyses economic liberalization and conflict reduction in one of Rwanda's most pivotal industries, i.e., coffee, and one of the few studies addressing the link between entrepreneurship in the developing world and intergroup peace-building. We approximated conflict reduction with an attitude of reconciliation between ethnic groups in Rwanda. Results from statistical analyses uncovered significant correlations between economic and livelihood advancement with comparatively more positive attitudes to reconciliation, especially where intergroup contact has increased alongside new incentives for collaboration across group boundaries. This suggests that enhanced entrepreneurship in Rwanda's liberalized coffee industry may provide the context for increased commercial intergroup contact, which in turn may constitute an opportunity for conflict reduction. We conclude with suggestions for follow-up research, to further analyze which types of economic policy changes may also hold the potential to contribute to positive social change.RÉSUMÉ. L'entrepreneuriat est largement reconnu comme étant un catalyseur pour la réduction de la pauvreté et pour le développement économique. Néanmoins, il y a peu d'études examinant le rôle de l'entrepreneuriat dans la réduction des conflits violents et le développement social. L'article suivant discute des résultats d'une étude réalisée à partir d'un sondage mené auprès d'un échantillon de producteurs de café de spécialité, un secteur émergent au Rwanda, et des travailleurs dans des stations de lavage de café. Au dire des auteurs, ceci est la première étude qui analyse de façon quantitative la libéralisation de l'économie et la réduction des conflits violents dans l'une des industries les plus importantes au Rwanda, l'industrie du café, et l'une des seules études se penchant sur le lien existant entre l'entrepreneuriat dans les pays en développement et la consolidation de la paix entre des groupes qui s'opposent. La réduction de conflits violents fut estimée en utilisant comme mesure l'attitude de réconciliation entre les groupes ethniques au Rwanda. Les résultats des analyses statistiques ont révélé des corrélations significatives entre l'avancement économique et l'amélioration des moyens de subsistance et des attitudes plus positives envers la réconciliation, particulièrement là où il y a une augmentation des contacts entre les divers groupes et des nouvelles incitatives pour la collaboration entre les groupes. Ces résultats laissent que croire les activités entrepreneuriales accrues dans l'industrie libéralisée du café rwandais pourrait mettre en place un contexte favorable pou...

This paper examines the Community Based Natural Resource Management Programme in Namibia. It finds that the policy of transferring property rights to natural resources from the state to local communities has brought significant economic and environmental benefits. Though the system has been quite successful, there are lingering weaknesses. These include an incomplete devolution of management and use rights, problems related to human-wildlife conflict and continuing concerns with land tenure insecurity.

In post-conflict Rwanda trade and enterprise are leading to increased levels of co-operation among former enemies. Economic interaction is providing a costeffective alternative to state-led reconciliation programmes as a mechanism for justice and healing. Governments seeking to provide effective transitional justice and reconciliation should therefore facilitate private-sector efforts by actively working to improve the institutional environment for doing business.

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