UN Peacebuilding Commission expresses support for the Final Peace Agreement

The UN Peacebuilding Commission on Wednesday expressed its support for the End of Peace Agreement being implemented in Colombia. Spokespersons from different nationalities highlighted the progress that has been made since its signing, five years ago, between the Colombian State and the demobilized FARC guerrilla.

Representatives of countries such as Sweden, Brazil, Costa Rica, Canada, the Netherlands, Latvia, Japan, Morocco and the Dominican Republic highlighted the progress they have made in implementing the agreements established in Havana, while calling for increased efforts to achieve peacebuilding in the national territory.

“The report highlights the progress that has been made in the implementation of the peace agreement between the government and the former FARC, including all issues related to the long term of the reincorporation process, as well as the challenges facing peacebuilding, especially in the territories most affected by violence and poverty,” said the UN representative in Colombia, Carlos Ruiz Massieu.

Likewise, the UN Resident Coordinator in Colombia Mireia Forner, for the close coordination and unconditional support shown to the agreement by donor nations, the United Nations and State institutions, in that regard the representative of the Netherlands, Yoka Brandt, highlighted the victims' approach.

“We from the Netherlands congratulate you on the extraordinary progress achieved and, you well know that, we remain committed to supporting you in very concrete ways through, for example, transitional justice and the formalization of land registration processes, as well as through excellent bilateral relations, including economic ones,” the spokesman told the president of Colombia.

For his part, the representative of Canada, Bob Rae, indicated that the Final Peace Agreement is one of the most “surprising” processes that have taken place not only in Latin America but in the world, while highlighting the migration policy and management that Colombia has implemented through strategies such as the Temporary Protection Statute for Venezuelans.

In turn, the Ambassador of Costa Rica, Maritza Chan, stressed the importance of the implementation of the 16 transitional electoral districts for peace, through which victims were able to choose some of their representatives in the House, noting that “it provided many Colombians, from rural and violence-affected areas, the opportunity to elect their representatives for the first time”.

“Peace is not sustainable but inclusive and therefore the inclusion of women as collaborators and facilitators”, in the development of peace, “contributes to ensuring the full, equal, meaningful and secure participation of women in Colombian peace,” said the ambassador.

In addition to these recognitions and support, the nations requested to redouble efforts in the implementation of the Final Peace Agreement and to ensure the safety of ex-combatants who are advancing their reintegration process.

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