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A lot happens every day. Alliances shift, leaders change, and conflicts erupt. With In Brief, we’ll help you make sense of it all. Each week, experts will dig deep on a single issue happening in the world to help you better understand it.***Last month, the Colombian government under President Gustavo Petro and the National Liberation Army (ELN), one of the largest and longest-operating armed rebel groups in the country, agreed to a six-month ceasefire beginning on August 3, 2023. If it holds, this will be the longest ceasefire agreement between the government and the group since its founding in 1963, but some experts doubt whether this will actually be able to reduce violence. We asked three experts about the ceasefire agreement, what it will mean for Colombia and if it can bring peace to a country plagued for decades by civil conflict. Read more below. Elizabeth Dickinson Senior Analyst for Colombia, International Crisis GroupPresident Petro’s “Paz Total” initiative proposes using dialogue as part of its approach to reduce the toll of conflict for civilians. A year into his government, one faction of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) dissidents, the Estado Mayor, is in formal peace negotiations. So is the National Liberation Army (ELN), which has agreed to implement a bilateral ceasefire beginning in early August. Despite this, these and other armed and criminal organizations have broadly expanded and deepened their territorial control. Because most violence derives from clashes between illegal groups competing for control, the government should prioritize reaching cessations of hostilities that include all violence, from targeted assassinations to kidnapping to child recruitment. Adam Isacson Director for Defense Oversight, The Washington Office on Latin AmericaColombia’s government has agreed on nine protocols to govern a six-month, verified ceasefire, starting August 3, with the National Liberation Army (ELN), the country’s largest