An agreement to end the longest civil war in Latin America’s history is within reach. There is now every expectation that, after 50 years, a final agreement can be signed between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia before a March 23, 2016, deadline.
Following what will certainly be a well-deserved celebration of a final agreement, the global community will quickly shift its attention towards Colombia’s public and justice sector institutions, which will be expected to implement the agreement’s historic terms and aspirations.
While international attention this week has correctly focused on the application of a historical transitional justice approach, the joint communiqué of May 26, 2013, committing to comprehensive rural reform was every bit as exciting. Land and justice sector reform and management are increasingly recognized by the international development community as closely, if not intrinsically, linked. Two of the agreement’s four topics demonstrate this link by explicitly recognizing that both land reform and transitional justice will be required to achieve a lasting peace in Colombia.