The Security Council extends the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Colombia

The United Nations Security Council unanimously approved the decision to operate the mission until October 31, 2024.

Member States welcomed the progress recorded between the Colombian government and the former rebels since the signing of the peace agreement in 2016.

Barbara Woodward, Ambassador of the United Kingdom, the country responsible for preparing the initial resolution, said during the session that the consensus within the organization sends a strong signal of support for the peace process in Colombia.

The British diplomat also welcomed the integration of a gender perspective as a cross-cutting issue for the UN mission.

On 11 October, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, welcomed the cooperation of the Government of that country with the armed actors and the Security Council in the search for peace.

Presenting his quarterly report to the Security Council, the envoy described the progress made on rural reform, ceasefires, reintegration and security of former combatants as important.

He stressed that the Security Council’s cooperation to achieve these results also responds to the commitment of the government and the groups joining the dialogue.

At the same time, Ruiz Maceo welcomed the dialogue initiatives promoted by the government with armed actors as a necessary additional effort to neutralize these threats and reverse their effects on communities.

He added that the expectations resulting from progress towards peace must be matched by fulfilling the commitments made and calming the confrontations, especially with regard to respecting the rights of communities, social leaders and signatories of the 2016 agreement.

nbg/ebr