Pull, don’t push! Servicing the motor of a fragile economy

Western governments are increasingly reframing their rhetoric of engagement in fragile and conflict-affected areas around the development of a vibrant private sector. But how does this ‘new’ approach work in practice? Who are the ‘new’ beneficiaries and what kind of support is being provided? Looking at the Netherlands’ engagement in South Sudan and at the experiences of international and local entrepreneurs, this article illustrates some of the bottlenecks and challenges of this take on development, and identifies local entrepreneurship as a blind spot in the approach.