Country: Colombia Source: UN Verification Mission in Colombia Mr. President, Distinguished Members of the Council,I am grateful for the opportunity to address you once again on the peace process in Colombia.It is an honour to be here with Deputy Foreign Minister Mauricio Jaramillo. And I would like to reiterate my gratitude to the Government of Colombia for its continued support and collaboration with the Verification Mission.I also welcome the presence in this room today of the President of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, Alejandro Ramelli. And I am pleased that he and fellow magistrates have had the opportunity this week to speak with Member States about the crucial work of the tribunal.I also appreciate the presence in this chamber of former Foreign Minister María Ángela Holguín, who played a key role in achieving the Peace Agreement that we are monitoring and verifying.Mr. President, Distinguished Members of the Council,For over six years, it has been my privilege to work closely with Colombians deeply committed to peace and I would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the important steps taken to move forward in this historic undertaking.The Final Peace Agreement of 2016 set out the path to be followed: a holistic and comprehensive roadmap for addressing deep-rooted structural issues that have driven violence in Colombia for decades. During the early years of implementation, significant foundations were laid and should be built upon going forward. The more than 13,000 former combatants of the FARC-EP who laid down their arms in good faith began an arduous path of peaceful reintegration into society. The Council has been direct witness, during its visits to Colombia, to their drive to establish sustainable livelihoods in coexistence with communities who suffered during the conflict. Ensuring their successful transition to civilian life is central to the success of the Peace Agreementand any future agreements; it will demand continued attention to needs such as land, housing and certainly security.Necessary state investments and reforms under the Peace Agreement for uplifting and transforming rural Colombia have also been initiated, beginning with the establishment of the development programmes with a territorial focus (PDETs), and continuing more recently with notable progress in expanding access to, and resolving conflicts over land.In addition, the Agreement charts out policies to ensure increased attention to Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities, along with mechanisms for increased participation of women; much still needs to be done in each case to translate commitments to reality.Very importantly, Colombians also embarked on a complex journey to come to grips with the past. The Truth Commission rendered a historic report and recommendations; a long-term search for the disappeared has begun; and the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, a pioneering court for transitional justice was established, has issued historic indictments, and stands today on the verge of a crucial new phase of its work. We look forward to the issuance soon of its first sentences, crucial for delivering reparation to the victims and advancing reconciliation. The Mission has been engaging with the stakeholders of the transitional justice process and is poised to play its role as mandated by this Council in monitoring the implementation of the sentences.Some of the changes underway in Colombia are not strictly measurable in the implementation of provisions of the Agreement. The peace process has contributed decisively to an opening of the political space in the country. Colombian citizens are exercising their rights to participate as never before and there is a widespread rejection of political violence.Notwithstanding the undeniable progress made to date, the implementation of the Agreement continues to face several serious challenges that impede the consolidation of lasting peace. Chief among these is the limited presence of civilian and military State institutions in various regions of the country where peace dividends remain limited and violence unfortunately persists. While Colombia’s complex geography presents obstacles, an expanded and sustained presence of the State remains essential and can be realized through clear, coordinated, and robust strategies. It is precisely in this vacuum of State presence that we see armed groups proliferate and illicit economies thrive, fueling violence and hampering development in conflict-affected areas. The Agreement provides instruments for addressing these issues across its different chapters and in a comprehensive way. But only through accelerating the implementation can we obtain accelerated results.Mr. President, Distinguished Members of the Council,Colombia is today a very different country from what it was in the years prior to the signing of the Peace Agreement. Violence indicators remain below the levels recorded during the height of the conflict.However, during my time in Colombia, I have witnessed how the scourge of violence continues to profoundly affect the lives of entire communities, former combatants, and social and political leaders. Since 2016, 474 signatories to the Peace Agreement have been killed, and sadly, four more have been added to that number since the publication of the report. It is essential to redouble protection for them and ensure that these crimes do not go unpunished. It is also fundamental to achieve effective complementarity between policies on peace, security and combating illicit economies.Mr. President,The attack on the life of Senator and presidential pre-candidate Miguel Uribe Turbay on 7 June, in addition to being a serious and reprehensible incident, had a strong impact on Colombian society. The attack evoked episodes of violence from the past in the political arena. It underscored, with greater urgency than ever, the imperative of removing violence from the exercise of politics — an explicit objective of the Peace Agreement. In response to this attack, the Office of the Ombudsman, accompanied by the Colombian Episcopal Conference and supported by institutions and representatives of the international community, including the Verification Mission, called on political leaders, parties and movements to sign a series of commitments for a peaceful electoral process. I am confident that this agreement will be widely accepted and strictly implemented.Mr. President,As I have highlighted previously, the transformative character of the Peace Agreement lies largely in the comprehensive response it provides to the multifaceted challenges facing different regions of Colombia. It is therefore essential to take full advantage of the opportunities that the Agreement offers for the future of the country and to build on the achievements made so far, dedicating the necessary resources and ensuring coordination between all responsible entities. These achievements are the result of successive administrations of different political affiliations, the unwavering commitment of the other signatory party, and the broad participation of civil society. It is a historic legacy conceived for the lasting benefit of the entire nation.Therefore, as the country enters an electoral period that could accentuate political divisions, I reiterate the call of the Secretary-General upon Colombians to continue working on the peace process in a spirit of cooperation.In the coming months, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace—the judicial component of the system— will issue its first sentences, marking a turning point that will test the important balances reached by the parties. These reflect the willingness of former adversaries to end the war, their common recognition of the importance of accountability for the gravest crimes, and their commitment to contributing to the reparation of victims.President and Members of the Council,Different visions of how to achieve peace coexist in Colombia. At the same time, I can attest that all Colombians aspire to consolidate it. This is what I have observed over the last six years, and I am sure that peace will continue to be a central issue on the public agenda.In addition to the implementation of the Peace Agreement, the search for peace has included, in recent years, dialogue processes with multiple armed groups, with the aim of ending violence or, at least, significantly reducing it. Following the fragmentation of several of these groups, the talks have shifted from a national focus to dialogues with a more local scope. It is essential that these initiatives include demonstrations of a clear commitment to peace on the part of the armed actors involved and a focus on generating concrete results, in particular tangible benefits for the communities affected by the conflict.Mr. President,In their pursuit of peace, Colombians have a deeply rooted history of resilience and persistence. Sometimes, their efforts have not yielded the expected results; other times, thanks to patience and perseverance, they have achieved significant progress. The 2016 Peace Agreement is a striking example of this. The path to peace is never easy, nor is it free of obstacles, but staying the course is always worthwhile.I would like to conclude by underscoring the vital role of the international community in supporting Colombians as they strive to achieve a better future. This support remains as important as ever in helping maintain momentum towards peace.I am deeply grateful to the Security Council for its consistent and crucial support to Colombia and to the work of the UN Verification Mission. The Council’s unity has been instrumental in safeguarding and advancing the Peace Agreement. I am convinced the Mission’s role in fostering trust and in encouraging further progress will remain just as important in the period ahead.I also extend my sincere thanks to the Government of Colombia and to the former FARC-EP for the trust they have placed in the Mission, and my admiration to Colombian society at large for walking this path with dignity, determination, and a deep commitment to peace.I am profoundly thankful to the Secretary-General for entrusting me with this unique opportunity, and to all the personnel in the Verification Mission for their hard work and unwavering dedication.I thank you.