3. Spotlight: Ceasefire agreements and early reintegration: Implications of a bilateral ceasefire agreement for reintegration in Colombia

Abstract

On June 23rd, the Government of Colombia (GOC) and the leftist guerrilla group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) signed a bilateral ceasefire agreement that includes provisions for where the FARC will gather (23 ‘transitional zones’ and 8 smaller ‘camps’) to progressively lay down their arms over a period of six months, once a final peace agreement is signed. This Spotlight examines one critical component of the ceasefire agreement: early reintegration initiatives for the FARC members within the transitional zones. The document introduces basic concepts, situates Colombia’s ceasefire agreement within other international agreements of its kind, describes remaining uncertainties, and offers several recommended approaches in order to increase the odds for a successful transition to civilian life for FARC members.