Statement delivered by H.E. Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, Permanent Representative of Guyana, on behalf of the A3+ at the United Nations Security Council Briefing on the situation in Colombia
Madam President,
I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the A3+, namely Algeria, Mozambique, Sierra Leone, and my own country Guyana.
We wish to thank SRSG Carlos Ruiz Massieu for his briefing and commend him and the team of the UN Monitoring and Verification Mission in Colombia for their very important work. We have listened carefully to Ms. Beatriz Helena Quintero Garcia.
We welcome the participation of His Excellency, Mr Luis Gilberto Murillo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Minister Juan Fernando Cristo, Minister of Interior in today’s meeting.
The A3+ welcomes the renewed focus on the implementation of the 2016 Final Peace Agreement. While we note that there are some areas where there has been limited progress, we are of the view that political will is still strong in Colombia, and we commend the Government’s continued commitment to accelerating implementation of the Agreement. The development of the Rapid Response Plan under the direction of Minister Cristo, is an important step in this regard.
We see as positive the increased improvement in the adjudication of land, toward reaching the goal of 500,000 hectares to the Land Fund by 2024. We take note of the Constitutional Court’s decision to overturn a procedure that allowed the National Land Agency (ANT) to adjudicate State lands without judicial oversight, and we hope that the issue regarding the procedure is urgently resolved as land acquisition is a critical aspect of the peace agreement and consequently stability in Colombia.
We have also noted that calls persist for implementing a special land programme to close the gender gap in the distribution of land to rural women and urge that every effort is made to ensure equitable distribution of land.
Madam President,
The A3+ continues to express grave concern regarding the limited implementation of the Ethnic Chapter, with only eight of the 2024 goals achieved. Addressing the issues which have historically affected marginalized communities, and those who have and continue to bear the brunt of the conflict, remains the fulcrum of achieving peace in Colombia.
We therefore reiterate that the implementation of the Ethnic Chapter is critical to the overall success of the Peace Agreement, as it seeks to safeguard the rights and address the issues affecting ethnic peoples, specifically Afro-Colombians and Indigenous Peoples. While we recognize the improved coordination among Government entities with implementation responsibilities to achieve swifter progress, we call for all relevant entities to redouble their efforts to enhance implementation of this Chapter which is a critical component of the Final Peace Agreement.
We remain concerned that violence and threats from armed groups persist, particularly against former combatants, including women, social leaders, and human rights defenders as well as the Indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities. In this regard, we see the recent steps taken to implement key policy instruments as important in addressing the security risks to vulnerable communities.
Additionally, we welcome the finalization of the 2023-2026 action plan of the Comprehensive Programme for the Safeguarding of Women Leaders and Human Rights Defenders. We call on the Government to ensure the protection of vulnerable groups and also reiterate our calls for increased state presence in affected regions.
We condemn in the strongest terms the continued recruitment and use of children in armed conflict. We are especially concerned that over 50 percent of cases of child recruitment and use of children by armed groups targeted Indigenous communities. We stress that the use of children in armed conflict is against international law and call upon the armed groups to release the children within their ranks.
Madam President,
Meaningful dialogue is central to resolving this conflict and achieving lasting peace. While there have been challenges to the dialogue processes, the A3+ commends the Government's continued commitment to pursuing peace through dialogue. We take note of ongoing and new dialogues underway between the Government and armed actors and will continue to monitor these closely.
We condemn the acts of violence involving the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN) which led to the loss of life and regret that the ceasefire agreement has not been further extended. We urge continued dialogue between the parties in good faith, with the objective of reducing violence and further alleviating the suffering of the Colombian people and for a return to the negotiation table. We take note of the continued dialogue between the Government and EMC- FARC- EP and the recent extension of the ceasefire.
Madam President,
The A3+ welcomes the establishment of the National Reintegration System and the Comprehensive Reintegration programme and sees their implementation as an important step in the reintegration of former combatants, and essential for building accountability and trust. We therefore commend the finalized formal adjudication of land purchased in 2023 by the National Land Agency (ANT).
We note, however, that the efforts to accelerate long-term consolidation of former territorial areas for training and reintegration (TATRs), in terms of land tenure, faced challenges, particularly security concerns. In this regard, we are concerned that threats by armed groups have led to the relocation of former combatants and their families. While we commend the Government’s short-term support to resettlement, more concrete measures should be implemented to ensure their protection and a resolution of the issue.
The A3+ views the work of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace as imperative to transitional justice in Colombia. We take note of the limited progress within the framework of the coordination mechanism for the issuance of sentences and urge more coordination between all relevant entities to ensure the timely and smooth issuance of the long-awaited sentences. We also reiterate the importance of legal certainty for those under the jurisdiction of the SJP.
We commend the good offices of the Secretary-General for their continued efforts to support the implementation of the Peace Agreement. We note that the current mandate of the Verification Mission concludes at the end of the month and look forward to its renewal.
In conclusion, Madam President, as the Government and people of Colombia approach the 8th year of the 2016 Peace Agreement, it is time to consolidate the gains and press forward to achieving the goal of lasting peace and stability in Colombia. The A3+ reaffirms its full support in this endeavor.
I thank you.
