Colombia’s civil war, the longest war in modern history, finds itself at an inflection point in which either peace can slowly be attained or war can consume the country again. This article lays out a plan for a peace deal between the Colombian government and the agrarian Marxist ELN, taking the 2015 peace deal between the government and the leftist FARC as a point of reference. Despite a conservative administration that is hostile to peace currently in power, there are several tangible opportunities that make the next few months ripe for peace. The election of Joe Biden, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the growing unpopularity of the conservative approach to war can all facilitate the ELN coming to the negotiation table. This article lays out an ELN peace deal focused on agrarianism, inclusiveness, illegal drugs, and victims’ rights, and concludes with short-, mid-, and long-term goals to achieve peace.

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This article explores how predatory economic processes play out in South Sudan, particularly in fuelling conflict and competition. It posits that issues of personal wealth and communal patronage are just as essential to understanding the conflict as politics, ideology and personal animosities. The article highlights the structural incentives for coercive economics and the commodification of labour. Exploring two case studies, it analyses how contests over the vital oil and cattle industries create insecurity in South Sudan, outlining the actors, methods and incentives involved in this economic violence. It concludes with opportunities for further research.