While there has been progress in the Three Areas (relative peace and stability; economic recovery in agriculture; the return of skilled and educated refugees and IDPs), the region remains volatile. Security is still an issue and the presence of land mines hinders recovery and development. Distrust of central government has persisted.
The inadequate state of social services and infrastructure is becoming increasingly problematic with ongoing refugee and IDP returns. There is also increased competition over food and livelihoods, and mounting tensions over access to land and land rights. In addition, the nature of livelihoods has changed in rural areas because of technological developments and differing skills obtained by returnees in the prior areas of displacement. Governance structures are weak and there are no institutions to regulate land, recovery and development. Access to land is especially difficult for women, who have no such rights under customary law.
Both small and large-scale development interventions are urgently needed in order to demonstrate widespread peace dividends and reduce competition among the groups. Ethnic identities also need to be de-politicised with a new emphasis on shared community.
