Cultivating investment opportunities in fragile contexts: catalysing market-driven solutions to strengthen community and economy resilience

The need to find new ways to help those affected by fragility, conflict, violence, extreme hunger and natural disasters has never been as urgent as it is today. Meanwhile, new opportunities are emerging for corporates and investors to expand involvement in humanitarian contexts beyond philanthropy and charity. This discussion paper outlines the pivotal support functions stakeholders across sectors have along the development stages of market-driven solutions on their pathway to scale, and the transformational dynamics that can take place if these forces act together in a more coordinated way to reach greater impact in fragile contexts. It is a call to action for a new form of collaboration between humanitarian and development organizations, businesses, investors and entrepreneurs to make a difference to the lives of the nearly 1 billion people living in fragile and conflict-affected settings worldwide.