European Union Cooperation in Colombia: A Commitment to Peacebuilding in Historical Perspective

Abstract

This chapter describes the historical evolution of the EU’s international development cooperation in Colombia. This has continued to favour peacebuilding, which began two decades ago with the Peace Laboratories and has continued to the present day. The internationalization of the Colombian armed conflict during the mandate of President Pastrana attracted resources from international cooperation in the search for a negotiated peace. Following the failure of the dialogues with the FARC-EP, the Colombian government developed the Plan Colombia, which was not supported by the EU. The latter, on the contrary, during the mandate of President Uribe, when the path of negotiation with the armed groups was closed, opted to give economic and political support to the Peace Laboratories. In this way, it sought to build peace in the midst of the conflict by strengthening local capabilities and social processes. Later, during the mandate of President Santos, the EU was one of the main supporters of the negotiations in Havana and, subsequently, of the Peace Agreement.