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Road Investment and Violence in DRC: Perishable Peace Dividends

Author

Listed:
  • Jevgenijs Steinbuks
  • Peer Schouten
  • Mathilde Lebrand
  • Hannes Mueller

Abstract

This paper explores the effect of road rehabilitation on violent conflict using a novel, rich dataset of road rehabilitation projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The country received massive external investments in transport infrastructure rehabilitation under conditions of endemic conflict, often with the explicit objective of supporting peacebuilding objectives. The paper finds that investments in road rehabilitation deter violence, which decreases significantly by around 5 to 10 percentage points after the completion of road rehabilitation. However, another significant finding, based on large-scale machine learning analysis of remote sensing data of road quality over time, is that the peace dividend of infrastructure investments is perish- able: violence increases again as roads progressively deteriorate. Improved durability and systematic maintenance of roads are thus necessary to extend the "peace dividend" of road investments.

Suggested Citation

  • Jevgenijs Steinbuks & Peer Schouten & Mathilde Lebrand & Hannes Mueller, 2026. "Road Investment and Violence in DRC: Perishable Peace Dividends," Working Papers 1574, Barcelona School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:bge:wpaper:1574
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    JEL classification:

    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O19 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - International Linkages to Development; Role of International Organizations
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • Q34 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Nonrenewable Resources and Conservation - - - Natural Resources and Domestic and International Conflicts

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