Foreign Minister Murillo, Interior Minister Cristo, the UK welcomes your commitment to building sustainable peace in Colombia and your renewed focus on the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement.
We welcome your Rapid Response Plan and the prioritisation of interventions that respond to the needs expressed by conflict-affected communities, as well as your focus on land issues and security guarantees.
I also thank Beatriz Quintero for her briefing today. Implementation of the gender provisions of the peace agreement remains essential for building sustainable peace in Colombia. It should be accelerated.
We look forward to the launch of Colombia’s first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security, and trust that its energetic implementation will help reduce the impacts of conflict on women and girls from communities across the country.
We also welcome the government’s continued efforts to implement the ‘Comprehensive Programme for the Safeguarding of Women Leaders and Human Rights Defenders’ which is critical to protecting and promoting women’s leadership in Colombia.
President, we remain concerned by the levels of conflict-related violence, especially against peace signatories, human rights defenders, social leaders, environmental activists, women and LGBTQ+ persons, with a disproportionate impact on Afro-Colombian and indigenous communities.
Their safety and security are critical and crucial to long-term peacebuilding in Colombia. We support the government’s efforts to dismantle illegal armed groups and the reactivation of the National Commission of Security Guarantees.
We are disappointed by the ELN’s failure to respond positively to the Colombian government’s proposals for extending the ceasefire. We condemn the increased levels of violence perpetrated by the ELN since 23 August.
And we call upon the ELN to re-commit to dialogue and a ceasefire and hope progress will be made to this end in the upcoming discussion between the parties. Actions must focus on alleviating the suffering of affected communities and demonstrate a pathway towards peace.
We also call upon the factions of the group known as EMC that have remained in dialogue with the government to use that process to renounce violence and illicit activities and pursue their aims through political means.
Colleagues, in conclusion, the United Kingdom will continue to partner with and support Colombia along its path to sustainable peace. As we reach the eighth anniversary of the 2016 Peace Agreement, we must continue to drive forward its full implementation to achieve real and lasting change.
