Colombia:'Rural reform is finally moving to the center of efforts to build a more peaceful Colombia'

The Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Colombia, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, said, “I am confident that, with the commitment of the parties, 2023 can bring decisive progress to deliver much-needed security and development opportunities for communities in conflict-affected regions.” Addressing the Security Council today (11 Jan), Massieu praised the government of Colombia for steps taken in the last few months regarding the comprehensive rural reform, such as the agreement on the purchase of land and the increase in the budgets for agriculture. He said, “Rural reform is now and finally clearly moving to the center of efforts to build a more peaceful and prosperous Colombia.” According to the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Colombia, this year is also key to advancing outstanding legislation to implement the Peace Agreement. He also said that violence continues against the communities, social leaders, and former members of the FARC-EP. “In recent weeks,” he continued, “numerous acts of violence have occurred, especially in priority areas for the implementation of the Agreement.” Massieu also said, “The New Year began with a hopeful announcement by the President of six-month ceasefires with several illegal armed actors operating in various areas across the country. The Secretary-General has welcomed this announcement. If carefully designed and carried out with commitment, these de-escalation measures can help to significantly reduce violence and suffering of conflict-affected communities while building trust in fledgling processes of dialogue.” Before the briefing, the Council unanimously adopted vote a resolution expanding the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to monitor the implementation of the chapter on comprehensive rural reform and the ethnic chapter of the 2016 Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace between the government of Colombia and the FARC-EP. Vice President Francia Márquez of Colombia, representing her country at today’s Security Council meeting, said, “This vote demonstrates the importance of this agreement for the world.” After the meeting, she also addressed reporters. She reiterated, “We are glad that the Security Council approved this resolution that expanded the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission and two important points from the Peace Agreement: The ethnic chapter for peace and the verification of its development.”


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