Colombia serves as 'a model' for countries using dialogue to forge peace 09 April 2024

09 April 2024

Colombia has reached an “important juncture” in advancing peace after decades of war, but efforts to sustain the current momentum must be redoubled, the head of a UN mission in the country told the Security Council on Tuesday.

“However difficult and demanding of patience, Colombia’s decision to prioritise dialogue as a principal means to resolve conflict sets the country apart as a model that is more relevant than ever in today’s world,” said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.

Emerging from decades of war, the Government has since made critical strides in implementing the 2016 Final Peace Agreement by advancing ongoing dialogue initiatives, he said, recalling the Council’s recent visit when members were able to observe firsthand the “deep desire for peace”, from the highest levels of government and state institutions through civil society and vulnerable communities in the regions still afflicted by conflict.

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‘Scarred by war, yet hopeful for peace’
Marcela Sánchez, Executive Director of the non-governmental organisation Colombia Diversa, briefed the Council on the conflict’s impact on LGBTQ people and what remains to be done to ensure an inclusive peace.

“Thanks to our collective efforts, what was once unthinkable is now possible: peace initiatives that recognise all Colombians, slow but meaningful social change towards a world without discrimination and a legal framework rooted in the fundamental principle of equality,” she said. “I come from a country scarred by war, yet hopeful for peace.”

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https://www.ungeneva.org/en/news-media/news/2024/04/92359/colombia-serves-model-countries-using-dialogue-forge-peace