An innovation strategy for the governance of a sustainable and territorial peace in Colombia

Colombia is facing a huge challenge of creating the conditions for a sustainable and inclusive peace in the short run. A collaborative effort between the state, communities and private sector is needed. It is necessary to... [ view full abstract ]

Colombia is facing a huge challenge of creating the conditions for a sustainable and inclusive peace in the short run. A collaborative effort between the state, communities and private sector is needed. It is necessary to foster a process of economic, social and institutional  development for the regions and territories that have suffered a prolongued armed conflict. These new forms of governance require the existence of  particular institutional framework, incentives as well as the formulation of public policy on new premises. This process of social construction needs to reverse the historical conditions of abandonment that have biased the development effort in the country in favor for the urban and modern sectors against the rural areas and peasant and indigenous populations. An innovative process that guarantees the conditions for a stronger social cohesion of rural societies is needed. As has been said, peace in Colombia needs to be territorial or otherwise it will not be achieved. In this paper the authors formulate an innovation strategy for territorial and sustainable peace in Colombia based on the following premises:  i-) to consolidate a territorial policy that includes issues of distribution of income between the different levels of government as well as territorial ordening a s a state policy that has continuity in its implementation over the duration of short-term oriented governments, ii-) the formulation and implementation of the territorial policy is a cooresponsibility between state, private sector and communities that operate at the local levels, iii-)the normalization of the institutional framework and the monitoring of risks agiant institutions at the local and regional levels, including risks of corruption and capture by local ilegal groups of state apparatusi, v-) the creation of a new agency for territorial development, vi-) the active participation of local action groups , as in the case of the Leader startegy , as main agents of the reconstruction effort.

The feasibility and risks of this strategy is discussed and polcy recommendations are issued.