“In a world of geopolitical divisions, endless wars, and multiplying conflicts, Colombia sends a clear message today: it is time to invest in peace”, the message by the Secretary-General after concluding his visit to Colombia.

24 Nov 2021

“In a world of geopolitical divisions, endless wars, and multiplying conflicts, Colombia sends a clear message today: it is time to invest in peace”, the message by the Secretary-General after concluding his visit to Colombia.


Bogotá, 24 November 2021. On the last day of his visit to Colombia, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, 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 the President of the Republic, Iván Duque Marquez.

At the event, the Secretary-General stressed that five years ago, “the signing of the Peace Agreement generated hope and inspiration in Colombia and the world” and that “after more than five decades of conflict and suffering, we have a moral obligation to ensure that this peace process is successful.”

“I am sure that Colombia will remain on this path toward peacebuilding and will persist in overcoming the challenges. I trust in your commitment to the Peace Agreement, and I reaffirm the full support of the United Nations”, assured the Secretary-General.

Subsequently, the Secretary-General met with peace signatories, now members of the Comunes political party, acknowledged their commitment to reintegration and reaffirmed the full support of the United Nations for peacebuilding in Colombia.

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 and then toured the fair “La Paz es Productiva” where he learned about the productive startups and projects of signatories of peace, victims, and communities throughout the country.

The Secretary-General had a meeting with the President of the Republic and his cabinet and then the two offered a press conference at Casa de Nariño.

“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”, said the Secretary-General.

“The peace process in Colombia inspires me today to make an urgent call today to the protagonists of the conflict in Ethiopia for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire to save the country and allow dialogue among Ethiopians”, concluded the Secretary-General.

After his visit to Casa de Nariño, the Secretary-General headed to the counter-monument “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.

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