DAVAO CITY – The British Embassy expressed support to the continuing efforts of business organizations, civil societies, and local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao in providing a conflict-sensitive environment for businesses to flourish in the region.

British Ambassador Stephen Lillie witnessed here early this week the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) of the different business stakeholders in Mindanao on conflict-sensitive business practices, which aims to address and remove the root causes of political and economic exclusion.

Initiated by the International Alert, a UK-based non-government organization (NGO), the Mindanao Business Council (MinBC), Alternate Forum for Research in Mindanao (AFRIM), and the Maranao People Development Centre (MARADECA), the MoU stressed on the engagement and cooperation between business groups, civil society organizations, and LGUs in ensuring an inclusive Mindanao Peace Agenda project supported by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom (UK).

Mario Talja, project director of International Alert, disclosed that including the business sector in the peace process can help achieve peace in Mindanao.

“It has often been said that the conflict in Mindanao prevents investments that will enable it to realize its promise of progress but little attention has been given to the relative exclusion of the business sector in the peace process,” he said.

With this, Talja bared that the business sector plays a vital role in achieving peace in Mindanao.

In the MoU, signatories vowed to promote better understanding using key principles enunciated in the Red Flag document published by International Alert.

The International Alert listed down eight red flags such as forcing people to work, handling questionable assets, making illicit payments, using abusive security forces, trading of goods in violation of international sanctions, providing the means to kill, using company assets for abuses, and financing international crimes.

Talja said that the red flag approach will deter business establishments from creating more conflict.

“The red flag approach will serve as a guide for efficient business practices and for businesses not to contribute more to conflict and promote peace and inclusion which promotes Mindanao as an area of investment,” he said.