The members of the Security Council of the United Nations Organization unanimously approved on Wednesday the extension of the mandate of the Verification Mission of the Peace Agreement with the extinct FARC guerrilla In colombia.
The purpose of the mission will be to add, to its follow-up work on compliance with the peace agreement, what is related to rural reform and ethnic issues.
Carlos Ruiz Massieu, special representative in Colombia of the UN Secretary General, António Guterres, said during the session that he is confident “that 2023 will be a year of decisive progress to find much-needed security” in the South American country. Likewise, he highlighted the “bold steps” that the government has taken, but pointed out that “it is unfortunate that more than six years after the signing of the agreement [de paz]the violence continues.”
UN report
On Wednesday the quarterly report on the UN Verification Mission in Colombia was also presented, which highlights progress in the consolidation of peace during the government of Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
In the document, released last Friday, the Secretary General acknowledges the work of the current administration towards the consolidation of peace in Colombia.
“In its first four months, the government has taken important steps to stop the violence and consolidate peace,” he adds.
Regarding the policy of total peace, which the Colombian president seeks to implement, Guterres points out that “in the face of the complexity of violence” this alternative “will have a fundamental role in improving the living conditions of the communities.”
rural reform
For the first time, during the presentation of the reports, the UN reported progress in the implementation of rural reform, the first point of the Agreement: “The Government increased the resources of the 2023 budget for the agricultural sector by more than 62%, thereby stand at about $860 million.”
He also highlighted the agreement signed by the Government and the Colombian Federation of Livestock Farmers Fedegán, which he described as “unprecedented for the purchase of 3 million hectares that will be distributed to landless peasants through the Land Fund provided for in point 1 of the Final Agreement ”.
“It is a clear demonstration that all sectors of Colombian society can and should contribute significantly to the implementation of the Final Agreement,” Guterres said.
Reintegration of ex-combatants
Secretary António Guterres emphasized the process of reincorporation of ex-combatants, which should be promoted by the Colombian administration: “To date, 75% of accredited ex-combatants participate in collective and individual productive projects. Despite the fact that the 84% of women ex-combatants participate in productive projects, many continue to face challenges to actively participate in decision-making,” she said.
The Secretary General also highlighted the recent reactivation of the National Reincorporation Council and the appointment of a new director of the Agency for Reincorporation and Normalization.
However, he stressed that “violence is the greatest threat to the consolidation of peace in Colombia.”
He also pointed out that there are still serious flaws related to security guarantees. The report highlighted the verification of the murder of 355 ex-combatants.
“In total, 50 ex-combatants (one woman) were killed in 2022, representing a 7.4% decrease compared to 2021,” the report reads.
The assassination of social leaders and human rights defenders, especially from indigenous communities, Afro-Colombians and members of community action boards, continues to be a great concern for the UN. According to the report, in 2022 there were 244 murders, 101 verified by the organization’s office.
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