An elderly man places a white flag on his hat during a concert for peace in Carmen de Bolivar, Colombia, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2016. AP Photo/Fernando Vergara. All rights reserved.
Colombia’s armed conflict, the longest-running in recent global history, left more than 220,000 people dead and about 6.7 million displaced within the region. A cease-fire agreed on 29 August 2016 had already formalized the end of combat activities between state forces and the FARC, formally known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia — and all hostilities against civilians. After decades of brutal violence and several failed peace processes, this was reason enough to celebrate. The formal signing of the peace deal today in presence of 2,500 invited guests from Colombia and abroad, including 15 state leaders and representatives of international organisations, suggests that this time that the two main sides are serious about peace.
Who are the players in Colombia’s security landscape?
