Colombia approaches the third anniversary of the negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on November 19 at a time of heightened expectations that peace is within reach. The Atlantic Council report, The Path to Peace and Prosperity: The Colombian Miracle, warns that peace will not be inexpensive and calls for deep international support for both peace making and then peace building. At a time when President Juan Manuel Santos has expended enormous energy and political capital to end the conflict, he will have to work twice as hard to sell the final agreement to voters.
The first duty of the international community will be to show Colombians that they will not be alone in the post-conflict, and that broad financial and technical support will be available. Miguel Silva, renowned Colombian political analyst, and Non-Resident Senior Colombia Fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center, highlights in the report that consensus is key to keep the miracle alive.