Peace Process in Colombia ‘Remains an Inspiration for the World’, Says Secretary-General, at Event Inaugurating Monument
Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks, delivered on behalf of the Secretary-General by Chef de Cabinet Courtenay Rattray, on the inauguration of the Colombia peace monument at Headquarters, in New York today:
Welcome to the United Nations. President Gustavo Petro, thank you for all your efforts for peace in Colombia, despite the many challenges faced. The peace process in Colombia remains an inspiration for the world.
It is an honour to participate today in the inauguration of such a highly symbolic monument, forged from the bullets of those who laid down their arms after five decades of conflict.
I will never forget my visit three years ago to its sister monument in Bogotá, where the victims of the conflict shared with me their moving and painful stories of loss, but also their conviction that peace is the only way forward.
I am pleased to be here in the presence of the former Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP), the other signatory to the Peace Agreement, which has now become a political party.
Mr. Tovar, your visit to the United Nations, the first by a representative of that party, Comunes, is historic. I am encouraged to see the two parties to the Agreement working together for its comprehensive implementation. Just as weapons of war can be transformed into art, so can former enemies become allies for peace.
This sculpture, which takes the shape of an Indigenous canoe used to navigate the rivers of Colombia, evokes the journey that your country has undertaken. A long and difficult journey.
Almost eight years after the signing of the Peace Agreement, there is much to celebrate, but there is still a long way to go. Many lives have been saved. Former combatants are making admirable efforts to build a new future.
Conflict-affected communities, victims, women and young people, and Afro-Colombian and Indigenous peoples are participating ever more actively in peacebuilding. We commend the committed work of the various institutions established under the Peace Agreement to foster reconciliation.
We appreciate the determination of the Government to expand the scope of peace, giving priority to dialogue as the primary way to end the violence that continues to claim lives and inflict suffering on vulnerable groups and communities.
Today, I recognize and reiterate my call for armed groups to respond in good faith and seize this historic opportunity. President Petro, we share your hope that one day Colombians will live in total peace. We recognize that there are obstacles.
No matter how difficult it is to reach a peace agreement, it is just as difficult to implement it. That is especially true in the case of Colombia, where efforts are being made not only to silence the guns but also to address the structural causes of the conflict in order to prevent another conflict.
Ensuring development and security to all parts of Colombia through a comprehensive State presence continues to be one of the most difficult and greatest challenges.
That will require time and effort by all relevant stakeholders, sectors of society and responsible State institutions. It will require efficiency to translate political will into results.
What is most urgent today is to improve the security of communities and ex-combatants in the face of violence and threats from armed groups.
I encourage the authorities to redouble their efforts to guarantee the security and well-being of peace signatories.
In the face of the difficulties, the most important thing is to keep moving forward with determination.
I call on all Colombians to join these efforts. Let me say that you can count on the United Nations to be by your side.
We have a long way, and a challenging journey, but I am sure that Colombia will reach its destination: a just and lasting peace.