‘The General and the Ambassador’ discuss U.S. Colombia Partnership & 2016 Peace Accord

In episode 78 of the podcast “The General and the Ambassador: A Conversation,” host Ambassador (Ret.) Deborah McCarthy is joined by General Alberto José Mejía Ferrero and Ambassador Kevin Whitaker. McCarthy and guests discuss the arduous effort to negotiate a peace agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

General Mejia led the Colombian Army, and subsequently the Colombian Military Forces, between 2015 and 2018. During his tenure, General Mejia was able to implement a comprehensive institutional transformation to modernize the Colombian military forces, while leading the institution through peace negotiations between the Colombian government and the FARC, which resulted in the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of this terrorist organization.

Ambassador Whitaker retired from the U.S. Foreign Service in 2021 with the rank of Career Minister. He served from 2014-19 as Ambassador to Colombia, the longest-serving U.S. ambassador to that nation in a century. During that period, Ambassador Whitaker worked with two U.S. and two Colombian administrations, and played a key role in the U.S. support for the 2016 Peace Accord between the Colombian government and the FARC insurgency.

Podcast producer and host Ambassador (retired) Deborah McCarthy currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the CGSC Foundation and was the 2018 DACOR Visiting Professor of Diplomacy for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. The DACOR Visiting Professor of Diplomacy Program is conducted in partnership with the Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired, Inc. (DACOR) organization located in Washington D.C., and the Command and General Staff College Foundation. Several times a year retired senior officials, usually Ambassadors with extensive diplomatic experience, visit Fort Leavenworth to interact with U.S. Army Command and General Staff College students and faculty, and provide a Department of State and Chief of Mission perspective to the curriculum. During their visit the DACOR Visiting Professors of Diplomacy also interact with area universities and civic organizations discussing policy, regional, and political expertise, as well as speaking about careers in the Foreign Service.

“The General and the Ambassador: A Conversation” podcast promotes interagency cooperation and is produced by the American Academy of Diplomacy.

To learn more and listen to the podcast, please follow the link below.
U.S. Colombia Partnership & the 2016 Peace Accord, The General and the Ambassador


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