ASSESSING THE HALFWAY POINT OF COLOMBIA’S 2016 PEACE ACCORD IMPLEMENTATION - This year, Colombia reached the halfway point of the fifteen-year implementation timeline for the 2016 Peace Accord, marking a critical juncture for the country’s path to peace. While some progress has been achieved toward the accord’s goals, pressing issues—including rising violence, rampant extortion, and complex negotiations with illegal armed groups—continue to challenge the path to lasting peace.

To address these concerns, the bipartisan US-Colombia Advisory Group, co-chaired by Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)—chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—and Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), convened in April 2024 to evaluate the implementation state of the Peace Accord. The group focused on assessing the primary obstacles to effective implementation, identifying critical steps to advance the accord’s commitments, and exploring collaborative strategies between the United States and Colombia. The advisory group’s findings and recommendations are detailed in the new report, “Accelerating the implementation of the 2016 Peace Accord in Colombia.”

Join the Atlantic Council’s Adrienne Arsht Latin America Center for the launch of the US-Colombia Advisory Group’s report, as experts and policymakers discussions strategies for advancing peace and stability in Colombia. Panelists will delve into the report’s key recommendations, highlighting the urgent need for greater emphasis on its Ethnic Chapter to safeguard the rights of ethnic minorities, enhanced support for existing development initiatives, and strengthened US-Colombia collaboration on security.

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 11/12/2024