Bogotá, 23 November 2021. UN Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, concluded his visit to the department of Antioquia this Tuesday, after a busy day in the company of the President of Colombia, Iván Duque Márquez, with whom he visited the former Territorial Area for Training and Reintegration (TATR) in Llano Grande in the municipality of Dabeiba. There they met with Rodrigo Londoño, president of the Comunes political party, walked through the TATR, and shared with the community in process of reintegration.

“I welcome the persistence and commitment of former combatants in this region historically impacted by the conflict, as well as of so many other areas that continue to strive to build a peaceful Colombia day by day”, said the Secretary-General.

At the former TATR, the Secretary-General and President Duque visited a tailoring workshop, received a special edition of coffee, and witnessed a coffee show by a barista, all of which has been the result of the work of reintegration by the residents of the TART.

The Secretary-General and President Duque then moved to the city of Apartadó to learn about the progress of the Territorially Focused Development Plan (PDET) in the region and attended a commemorative event on the implementation of the Peace Agreement.

“Here, I have witnessed the efforts by the communities and the Government to advance the PDETs, which are a noble and necessary effort to improve the conditions of all those people who are building their lives at the conflict-stricken territories”, said the Secretary-General.  

The Secretary-General highlighted the joint efforts made by women's, indigenous and Afro-Colombian organizations, human rights, environmental and youth organizations.

“The Peace Agreement offers solutions by means of the continued presence of an inclusive State with the purposeful participation of those who have been excluded and have suffered the conflict”, said Guterres.

The Secretary-General expressed concern about the ongoing insecurity situation affecting several regions and listened to and shared with the communities as well as with the officials from the organisms present.

Tomorrow is his last day in Colombia, the Secretary-General will meet with civil society delegates, groups of victims, Comunes political party leaders, and government officials. He will then participate in the commemoration of the fifth anniversary of the signing of the Final Peace Agreement in the premises of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). He will also attend the fair “La Paz es Productiva” in Bogotá.

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Click here to see the images of his visit to the department of Antioquia.