The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Vassily A. Nebenzia (Russian Federation):
The members of the Security Council reiterated their full and unanimous support for the peace process in Colombia. They stressed the importance of ensuring the comprehensive implementation of the Final Peace Agreement.
The members of the Security Council welcomed renewed momentum on the comprehensive implementation of the Final Peace Agreement, including through the renewal of the mandate of the Commission for the Follow-Up, Promotion and Verification of the Implementation of the Final Agreement and the focus on the Final Peace Agreement in the Government's proposed National Development Plan. They looked forward to further progress including to address challenges on land access, the security and socioeconomic reintegration of former combatants, and to accelerate implementation of the ethnic and gender provisions of the Final Peace Agreement.
The members of the Security Council welcomed the additional information provided by the Secretary-General and his Special Representative on the implementation of the comprehensive rural reform and the ethnic chapters of the Final Peace Agreement following the expansion of the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission through resolution 2673 (2023).
The members of the Security Council expressed concern over the continued threats and violence faced by former combatants and social leaders and that conflict-related violence continues to have a disproportionate impact on women and on Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. They emphasized the need to increase the integrated presence of the State in conflict-affected areas and called for further implementation of the action plan of the "Comprehensive Programme for Safeguards for Women Leaders and Human Rights Defenders".
The members of the Security Council commended the Government's efforts to expand the scope of peace in Colombia through dialogue and through comprehensive implementation of the Final Peace Agreement. They encouraged further progress towards securing ceasefires in order to alleviate the suffering of the civilian population including over the course of the next round of talks between the Government and the National Liberation Army. In this context, they noted the Secretary-General's Special Representative's accompaniment of the talks. They took note of Foreign Minister Leyva's letter of 15 February in which he requested the expansion of the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission to support the Government's talks with various groups, in particular in the verification of ceasefires, and they looked forward to the options and recommendations produced by the Secretary-General in this regard.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their support for the components of the Comprehensive System for Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition. They looked ahead to the first sentences due to be issued by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace in the coming months and welcomed the Government's expressed commitment to enable the conditions for the implementation of the sentences.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their commitment to continue working closely with Colombia to support comprehensive implementation of the Final Peace Agreement, as the primary pillar to secure broad and lasting peace and stability in Colombia, and welcomed the commitment of both parties to this end. They strongly supported complementary efforts by the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, working in coordination with the United Nations country team.
