During the time of the Cold War following the Great Galactic War, the Galactic Republic initiated the Taris Resettlement Initiative, a project focused on rebuilding the devastated world of Taris. This program aimed to transform the planet's post-apocalyptic swampland into a habitable world under the Republic's control. Three centuries prior, Taris was destroyed when Sith Lord Darth Malak razed the ecumenopolis in his search for Jedi Padawan Bastila Shan, hoping to secure a victory for his Sith Empire in the Jedi Civil War.
Following the reconstituted Sith Empire's triumph in the Great Galactic War, the Republic Senate decided to pursue the colonization of Taris to achieve a symbolic victory against the Sith's acts of aggression. While teams on the ground managed to establish a military base, a spaceport, and several settlements, they faced challenges navigating the ruins of Taris's fallen cityscape. Furthermore, victims of the Rakghoul plague still existed on the planet, posing a significant danger to the settlers. The Empire also presented a threat to the initiative, as a successful recolonization would demonstrate the Republic's ability to recover from Sith attacks.
The Republic experienced initial success with the resettlement effort. However, the Empire, under the leadership of Darth Gravus, undermined the initiative by eliminating key figures and sabotaging operations, ultimately leading to its failure.