The Undersecretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Coordinator for Emergency Relief of the United Nations, Joyce Msuya, applauded the policy of the Gustavo Petro government, after completing her visit to the South American country.
According to a statement published on Friday, the Undersecretary General recognized the efforts of the new government “to put an end to the conflict and address social, economic and environmental justice.”
“This is a bold program that we all want to see move forward,” Msuya said. “For the first time in decades, a new generation has the opportunity to experience lasting peace,” she added.
The president of Colombia has expressed his intention to achieve “total peace” that part of the negotiation with the different armed groups that have been part of the decades-long armed conflict and the submission to justice of criminal gangs that operate in the nation.
The undersecretary wrapped up a weeklong mission to Colombia on Friday, where her office said she met with government officials, including Deputy Foreign Minister Elizabeth Taylor Jay, and humanitarian partners and donors to discuss continued support for the peace.
In Colombia, Msuya visited the department of Chocó, one of the most vulnerable and with a high rate of poverty, and one of the most affected by the armed conflict. There, the statement says, the official heard from women survivors of gender violence and indigenous and Afro-descendant communities about the impact of violence on the civilian population.
“Bringing coordination closer to the affected people and putting their needs at the center of our response will be essential to satisfy their aspirations,” said the official.
The UN says it will continue to support government-led humanitarian response and help fund programs to help people in vulnerable conditions, “including the recent allocation from the UN Central Fund for Emergency Response of $6.5 million dollars for underfunded emergencies.
However, the UN also highlighted some challenges to protect the population, due to the violence that is still experienced in areas controlled by non-state armed groups, in addition to disasters exacerbated by climate change.
An estimated 7.7 million people will need humanitarian aid in 2023, according to the UN.
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