Colombia: Understanding the Role of Natural Resources in Colombia’s Conflicts

Feb 3, 2022 | Tatiana Pardo Ibarra, Diálogo Chino
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On 15 December 2020, the Colombian government auctioned off nearly 200 kilograms of gold that former guerrillas of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had handed over to the country’s United Nations mission, in order to provide reparations to the victims of long-running conflict. However, beyond the US$11.9 million that the British firm Condor Partners paid for the ingots and jewellery, the auction highlighted a deeper issue: the role of natural resources in the emergence, duration and intensity of armed conflicts in Colombia.