Economic Dimensions of Mass Atrocities and R2P in Resource-Rich States

While many developing countries experienced sustained economic growth averaging over 5 percent yearly between 2000 and 2013, serious human rights violations and mass atrocities persist in most of these regions.

This raises two important and interrelated questions.  First, is there a causal relationship between natural resource wealth and enduring instability?  Second, what practical steps could be taken by these governments (and their international partners) to forestall mass atrocities and ensure inclusive human security?  Using an R2P prism, this policy salon will examine the nature of the contemporary resource-rich state and evaluate its capacity/willingness to prevent and respond to gross human rights violations.