For more than a half century, Colombia has been engaged in an internal armed conflict, with tremendous political, social, and economic impact on the country. In October 2012, the Colombian government decided to seek a negotiated end to the conflict and build a stable and lasting peace with the Revolutionary Armed Force (FARC).

On March 17, 2016, the Perry Center will host “Understanding the Peace Process: Main Points and Implications for the Future.” This Hemispheric Forum will provide the audience a short overview of the armed conflict in Colombia, the evolution of the FARC, and describe key elements of the agreement to examine the possible effects and challenges of the peace process. Three Colombia experts will share their perspectives. Dr. Cynthia Arnson, Director of the Latin American Program at Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and Mr. Adam Isacson, Senior Associate for Regional Security Policy, Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA), will address the six points of the negotiation, what a lasting peace accord means to both parties, and how to implement the accords, and Ms. Celina Realuyo, Professor of Practice at the William J. Perry Center for Hemispheric Defense Studies, will discuss the history of illicit finances in the context of the Colombian conflict, and how the proposed peace accord will affect these flows.

The international community and the parties have expressed optimism about the proposed agreement as Colombia enters the last stage of negotiations in anticipation of signing the accord on March 23, 2016. How did the negotiators get to this point? What will be the result of a signed agreement? What are the implications for the future of Colombia and the Americas