Colombia: 'Renewed hope' for consolidating peace says Guterres

[Judi Lynn]

02 January 2023

The agreement between the Colombian Government and the five largest remaining armed groups there provides “renewed hope for comprehensive peace” into the new year, said the UN chiefOpens in new window in a statement released by his Spokesperson late on Sunday.

The breakthrough was announced on 1 January by the first-ever leftist president of the South American nation, Gustavo Petro, who tweeted that he was seeking “total peace”, in the light of continuing violence, following the historic UN-supported peace deal Opens in new windowwith the leadership of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) militant group in 2016.

That pact ended decades of conflict with FARC, but did not include other dissent factions, who failed to demobilize as a result of the peace agreement.

President Petro said that the bilateral ceasefire deal, including ELN rebels, the Second Marquetalia, the Central General Staff, the AGC group and the Self Defence Forces of the Sierra Nevada, would run for six months, through to the end of this June, with the possibility of extending it “depending on progress”.

He said there would be a “national and international verification mechanism” to monitor and ensure the new ceasefire agreement.

More:
https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2023/01/76450/colombia-renewed-hope-consolidating-peace-says-guterres

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