Engaging armed groups in peace processes - Colombia and the Philippines

Conciliation Resources believes that people involved in peace processes can benefit from drawing lessons and inspiration from the successes and difficulties of other situations, as well as from reflecting on their own experience. The Comparative Learning Project is designed to facilitate this process of learning, and the first exchange visits in Colombia and the Philippines focused on questions and dilemmas relating to the engagement of armed groups in peace processes. In both contexts, the topic created opportunities for meetings and forums involving government officials, representatives of armed groups, civil society actors and foreign diplomats. Their contributions created a rich tapestry of different perspectives on the topic. This short paper is intended to highlight some of the key challenges and issues identified, and to propose policy and practice points as a basis for further reflection.