Returning Government to Colombia's Conflict Zones: A Light Footprint

Introduction:

Stephen Johnson
Director and Senior Fellow, CSIS Americas Program

An overview of USAID/OTI's Initial Governance Response Program:

Susan Reichle
Assistant Administrator, Bureau of Policy, Planning, and Learning, USAID

Views from the field:

Álvaro Balcázar
First Civil Coordinator of Colombia's Plan de Consolidación Integral de la Macarena (PCIM)

Diego Meyer Artunduaga
Mayor, San Juan de Arama

With commentary by:

Johanna Mendelson Forman
Senior Associate, CSIS Americas Program and Simon Chair in Political Economy

Robert D. Lamb
Senior Fellow and Director, Program on Crisis, Conflict, and Cooperation (C3)

Phillip McLean
Senior Associate, CSIS Americas Program

The subject of this discussion was how the Integrated Governance Response Program (IGRP), developed by the government of Colombia, with the support of USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives, could become a model for foreign assistance support for state reform without leaving a large footprint.

CSIS evaluated the IGRP in 2009 and did a follow-up study in 2011.  The findings set the scene for a discussion of how this approach can address Colombia's ongoing security and development needs.

*Our special thanks to Creative Associates for their generous support of this event.