Strengthening Peace and Economic Cooperation in South Asia

Abstract

Conflict resolution proponents consider economic integration the silver bullet. Politically stable states in Europe and Southeast Asia are currently united under a single flag. While "monetary inclusion" is sometimes cited as a means toward stability, this is not always the case. But a unified currency is not necessarily the key to peaceful coexistence. This article will examine South Asia to see if and how much monetary settlement has aided in maintaining peace in that region. Despite attempts to bring nations together in South Asia through peace and monetary reconciliation, these efforts have been mostly ignored. Entombment and interstate strife are major contributors to this problem. While this article focuses on provincial financial partnerships as a means of promoting development and peace in South Asia, it argues that the legacy of state structures in the region effectively preempts any such provincial involvement. The religious and socioeconomic tensions that fuel the political turmoil in South Asia portend a bleak future for the area. In light of recent events, it would appear that praying for a peaceful synthesis and permanent peace in South Asia through reconciliation is naive.