Lessons for Colombia’s Peace Talks in Oslo and Havana

The installation of the peace table in Norway is now complete, and the delegations are preparing to resume their work in Havana next month.  Reflections on what has been learned from the past and what is yet to be learned remain pertinent as Colombia embarks on this next stretch of the road toward peace.  The U.S. Institute of Peace has been spearheading a collaborative research project with the Colombian Jesuit Research Institute (CINEP), the Universidad de los Andes in Bogotá, the Latin American Studies Center at Georgetown University and others to analyze past peace processes and their impact on prospects for a future political solution to the conflict in Colombia.  On October 15, 2012, this consortium of organizations released a new document, “Lessons for Colombia’s Peace Talks in Oslo and Havana.”  I was a lead author of the document and published the original Spanish document,  “Lecciones para los diálogos en Oslo y La Habana,” in one of my earlier blog posts.  See what you think…

On another note, you are cordially invited to a forum at Georgetown University tomorrow, Wednesday, October 24, from 12-2 pm.  This is a public session featuring yours truly, Marc Chernick (Georgetown University), Gimena Sanchez (Washington Office on Latin America-WOLA), and Adam Isacson (WOLA) to discuss the Colombian peace talks in the post-Oslo period.   Feel free to join us if you are in the DC area.  The talk will take place in the Inter-Cultural Center, Room 450.  Should be a lively discussion!