Activities of Secretary-General in Colombia, 22-24 November
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, accompanied by his wife, Catarina Vaz Pinto, arrived in Colombia from New York on Monday, 20 November, for a two-day visit in celebration of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the landmark 2016 Final Peace Agreement between the Government of Colombia and the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC-EP).
Upon arrival, the Secretary-General was welcomed by Colombia’s Vice-President and Minister for Foreign Affairs, Marta Lucía Ramírez; his Special Representative in Colombia, Carlos Ruiz Massieu; and the Resident Coordinator, Mireia Villar Forner.
He also spoke with the media at the airport. He said that this was a visit of solidarity with the Colombian people that gives the world a very important example of affirming peace. The Secretary-General added that in a world in which we unfortunately see so many conflicts, it is very important to visit a country where peace is actually being built.
On Tuesday, 23 November, the Secretary-General met with the Verification Mission and representatives of the United Nations agencies, funds and programmes present in Colombia. Soon after, the Secretary-General, together with the President of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez, travelled to the province of Antioquia to visit the former Territorial Area for Training and Reintegration (ETCR) Llano Grande, in Dabeiba, where he met with Rodrigo Londoño, President of Comunes political party.
In his remarks during the visit, the Secretary-General said that he appreciated having the opportunity to listen to community members, indigenous and Government authorities. He pointed out that they know better than anyone that peace does not occur overnight. It is hard to build, take care of, and sustain, he emphasized. (See Press Release SG/SM/21037.)
In the afternoon, the Secretary-General travelled to Apartadó, where he visited a school to learn about the progress of the Territorial Development Program (PDET) in that region. He also attended an event in commemoration of the peace process.
In his remarks at the event, the Secretary-General noted that the Final Peace Agreement had the success of conceiving peace in Colombia not as a process imposed from above but as a great construction effort. He stressed that we must follow the path shown by the negotiations on the Agreement and ensure that women have their central place in the design and implementation of development programmes. (See Press Release SG/SM/21038.)
On the last day of his visit to Colombia, on 24 November, the Secretary-General held a meeting with the heads of the Comprehensive System of Truth, Justice, Reparation and Non-Repetition.
He also participated in the commemorative event of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Final Peace Agreement at the headquarters of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), in the company of the leadership of the three institutions of the transitional justice system and President Iván Duque Marquez.
In his remarks, the Secretary-General stressed that after more than five decades of conflict, and awareness of the suffering it caused, we have a moral obligation to ensure that this peace process is successful. He noted that this anniversary provides an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of the Final Peace Agreement, acknowledge the challenges it faces, and renew our collective commitment to fulfil its promise to build a stable and lasting peace.
Following the event, the Secretary-General had a bilateral meeting with leaders of the former FARC-EP guerrilla movement. He then walked through Plaza de Bolivar where he attended a concert by the children’s choir “Hijos de la Paz”, composed of children of signatories of the Agreement. He also toured the fair “La Paz es Productiva” where he learned about the productive start-ups and projects of signatories of peace, victims and communities throughout the country.
In the afternoon, the Secretary-General also had a meeting with President Iván Duque Marquez and his cabinet and then the two held a press conference at Casa de Nariño.
The Secretary-General said that for a world marked by conflicts, many of them without an end in sight, Colombia sends a clear message: it is time to invest in peace.
Following the press conference, the Secretary-General headed to the counter-monument entitled “Fragmentos”, where he walked through the place and listened to the accounts of a group of victims of the armed conflict.
To conclude his visit, the Secretary-General held a meeting with representatives of civil society.
The Secretary-General travelled back to New York on Wednesday, 24 November.