Party Cooperation in a Results Perspective Country Study: Colombia n SADEV 2009:3.3 REPORT Swedish Agency for Development Evaluation P. O. Box 1902, SE-651 19 Karlstad, Sweden SADEV REPORT 2009:3.3 Party Cooperation in a Results Perspective Country Study: Colombia Author(s): Lennart Peck, Anders Rudqvist, María Julieta Ramos Copyright: SADEV SADEV Reports are available at www.sadev.se Printed in Karlstad, Sweden 2010 ISSN 1653-9249 ISBN 978-91-85679-18-8 PARTY COOPERATION IN A RESULTS PERSPECTIVE ACRONYMS Acronyms AD Alternativa Democrática CEUDES Corporación Unidades Democráticas para el Desarrollo CNE Consejo Nacional Electoral COP Colombian Pesos (approx. SEK 0.0038 in October 2009) CR Partido Cambio Radical Colombiano FARC Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia FES Friedrish Ebert Stiftung FTC Fundación Tercera Colombia GF Green Forum IDEA Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance IRI International Republican Institute JHS Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation/Jarl Hjalmarson Stiftelsen JUCO Juventud Comunista KAS Konrad Adenauer Stiftung MIRA Movimiento Independiente de Renovación Absoluta NDI National Democratic Institute Palme Center Olof Palme International Center PAO Party Affiliated Organisation PC Colombian Communist party/Partido Comunista Colombiano PCC Colombian Conservative Party/Partido Conservador de Colombia PDA Alternative Democratic Pole/Polo Alternativo Democrático PDI Polo Democrático Independiente PLC Partido Liberal Colombiano PPD Partido Por la Democracia PVO Partido Verde Oxígeno PVOC Partido Verde Opción Centro i PARTY COOPERATION IN A RESULTS PERSPECTIVE ACRONYMS SAK Social Democratic Party Branch of Stockholm/ Stockholms Arbetarekommun VIF Left International Forum/Vänsterns Internationella Forum Unibagué University of Ibagué UPLA Unión de Partidos Latinoamericanos ii PARTY COOPERATION IN A RESULTS PERSPECTIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Contents 1 Introduction ........................................................................................ 1 2 Main Findings ..................................................................................... 3 2.1 Political Context ........................................................................................... 3 2.2 Strategies and Approaches of Swedish PAOs .......................................... 4 2.3 Activities and Output ................................................................................... 5 2.4 Effectiveness ................................................................................................. 5 2.5 Relevance ....................................................................................................... 6 2.6 Side Effects .................................................................................................... 7 2.7 Sustainability .................................................................................................. 7 2.8 Observations and Lessons .......................................................................... 8 3 GF-Fundación Tercera/CEUDES ................................................ 10 3.1 Background .................................................................................................10 3.2 Project Design .............................................................................................11 3.3 Activities and Output .................................................................................12 3.4 Effectiveness ...............................................................................................14 3.5 Relevance .....................................................................................................15 3.6 Side Effects ..................................................................................................15 3.7 Sustainability ................................................................................................16 3.8 Observations and Lessons ........................................................................16 4 JHS-UPLA-Colombian Conservative Party .................................. 17 4.1 Background .................................................................................................17 4.2 Project Design .............................................................................................17 4.3 Activities and Output .................................................................................17 4.4 Effectiveness ...............................................................................................18 4.5 Relevance .....................................................................................................19 5 Palme Center-Alternative Democratic Pole .................................. 20 5.1 Background .................................................................................................20 5.2 Project Design .............................................................................................21 5.3 Activities and Output .................................................................................21 5.4 Effectiveness ...............................................................................................22 5.5 Relevance .....................................................................................................23 5.6 Side Effects ..................................................................................................24 5.7 Sustainability ................................................................................................24 5.8 Observations and Lessons ........................................................................25 6 Palme Center Tripartite Cooperation ............................................ 26 iii PARTY COOPERATION IN A RESULTS PERSPECTIVE TABLE OF CONTENTS 6.1 Project Design .............................................................................................26 6.2 Activities and Output .................................................................................28 6.3 Effectiveness ...............................................................................................29 6.4 Relevance .....................................................................................................29 6.5 Side Effects ..................................................................................................30 6.6 Sustainability ................................................................................................30 6.7 Observations and Lessons ........................................................................31 7 VIF – Colombian Communist Party .............................................. 32 7.1 Background .................................................................................................32 7.2 Project Design .............................................................................................33 7.3 Activities and Output .................................................................................34 7.4 Effectiveness ...............................................................................................38 7.5 Relevance .....................................................................................................38 7.6 Side Effects ..................................................................................................39 7.7 Sustainability ................................................................................................39 7.8 Observations and Lessons ........................................................................39 Appendix 1: List of Persons Met ............................................................. 41 Appendix 2: The Colombian Party System ............................................ 44 iv PARTY COOPERATION IN A RESULTS PERSPECTIVE INTRODUCTION 1 Introduction This report presents the findings of the country study on Colombia carried out as an input to the evaluation of democracy support through Swedish party affiliated organi- sations (PAOs). The report is one of three country studies linked to the evaluation. The overall findings, conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation are presented in the main report. The cooperation in Colombia has engaged the following organisations: • Olof Palme International Center (Palme Center) and Alternative Democratic Pole (PDA). • Palme Center, PDA/University of Ibagué (Unibagué) and Partido Por la Democra- cia (PPD), Chile. • Green Forum (GF) and Fundación Tercera Colombia and Corporación Unidades Democráticas para el Desarrollo (CEUDES).1 • Left International Forum (VIF) and Colombian Communist Party (PC).2 • Jarl Hjalmarson Foundation (JHS) and Colombian Conservative Party (PCC), as part of a regional project through Unión de Partidos Latinoamericanos (UPLA). The visit to Colombia was undertaken October 4-16, 2009. The evaluation team (the Team) met with partner organisations, persons responsible for project implementa- tion and some of the participants. It also met with NGO representatives, interna- tional party foundations, independent researchers and the Swedish Embassy. Before the visit to Colombia, the Team met the concerned Swedish PAOs and Sida. A debriefing with each PAO was made after the field visit. A list of persons met is attached in Appendix 1. Each project is assessed with respect to effectiveness and relevance.3 The assessment of effectiveness is made against the specific objectives of each project, as described in project documents and interviews. The assessment of relevance draws on an analysis of