Acordemos, in collaboration with the Folke Bernadotte Academy and the Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding (CCCPA), successfully participated in the European Union Community of Practice 2025 with a specialised session on verification mechanisms in peace processes. The panel, moderated by Pontus Ohrstedt, Head of Peace Processes at the Folke Bernadotte Academy, featured the participation of our president, Sergio Jaramillo Caro. The session explored how verification mechanisms can strengthen peace efforts in today's complex environment, characterised by the fragmentation of armed actors. Through recent experiences in Colombia, Ukraine, and South Sudan, participants examined the role of verification as a tool for mediation and peacebuilding. Key topics discussed included how negotiators can integrate verification to build trust during negotiations, the strategic timing for introducing these mechanisms without derailing political talks, and how modern conflicts demand adaptive approaches to verification. The session also highlighted emerging opportunities such as the use of technology to overcome geographical constraints, innovative models of South-South cooperation, and contributions from civil society. With a hybrid format that allowed for both in-person and virtual participation, the event brought together approximately 40 participants from European Union countries and non-European nations, facilitating a valuable exchange of knowledge between practitioners from different regions and conflict contexts.
