Remarks of Miroslav Jenča, SRSG and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to the Security Council
15 July 2026
Mr. President,
I am honored to brief the Security Council once again on Colombia’s peace process and the work of the Verification Mission.
It is a pleasure to be here today with Leonor Zalabata, the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations. The cooperation the Verification Mission has enjoyed, since its very establishment, from the successive governments in Colombia has been essential to enabling it to perform the role mandated by this Council to advance peace and security in the country.
We meet today just weeks after the conclusion of presidential elections, and less than a month from the inauguration of President-elect Abelardo de la Espriella. Before turning to the peace process, I wish to acknowledge the significance of the democratic exercise just concluded by the Colombian people and the independent institutions responsible for the electoral process.
Despite acts of violence and tensions in the run-up to the voting, it was gratifying for the Verification Mission to participate in various mechanisms that kept vigilance over the security environment for the carrying out of the elections. Through both rounds of the election, voting was conducted in a peaceful and orderly fashion; security forces were deployed effectively to protect the process; and national and international election observers provided independent oversight. The high voter turnout on 21 June is a sign of the strong desire of Colombians to make their voices heard within a vibrant democracy that has become more inclusive and participatory in the framework of the peace process.
The incoming administration is now preparing to assume the responsibilities of government. This will be the third administration elected since the signing of the Peace Agreement of 2016 to inherit both the responsibility for its implementation, and the opportunity that this represents. While much work is still needed to fully realize its aims, the Agreement has laid essential groundwork for establishing lasting peace and security; its continued, even accelerated, implementation remains fundamental for Colombia’s present and its future. Drawing on nearly a decade of experience and its presence on the ground in areas still affected by conflict, the Verification Mission stands ready to engage with the new authorities, to listen to their priorities, to review with them the state of the Agreement and share views on its implementation, as well as to continue under its mandate, with full respect of Colombia’s sovereignty, to accompany national efforts to build peace and strengthen security.
Part of building peace in a society fractured by conflict is adopting a spirit of tolerance and coexistence that recognizes political differences as legitimate and favors dialogue. Unfortunately, the days since the election have been marked by continued heated rhetoric and political confrontation, causing even the suspension last week in the customary handover process —or “empalme” in Spanish—for exchanging information between the outgoing and incoming teams. In this context, I reiterate the call by the Secretary-General in his report for Colombians, and particularly their political leaders, to act with responsibility in this period to reduce tensions after such a polarizing election. Maintaining respectful channels of communication is essential. The Congress, which will begin a new four-year period on 20 July, can play an important role in enabling cross-party dialogue, where different opinions can be reflected, issues debated and problems resolved.
Mr. President, Distinguished Members of the Council,
Security was among the chief concerns of the Colombian electorate. There was intense debate about the impact of recent peace-making initiatives with armed groups, given limited results and concerns that the groups took advantage to further expand their reach, thereby worsening the security situation in various regions. Appropriate lessons should be drawn and applied in the future. At the same time, as the Secretary-General states in the latest report, it is important to remember that the security challenges in the regions still affected by conflict have deep and multifaceted roots. Overcoming them will require holistic solutions that are precisely those called for under the Peace Agreement of 2016. As the Secretary-General has also emphasized, complementarity can be achieved between security actions focused on the protection of vulnerable communities, strengthened presence of State institutions and peacebuilding policies.
The ongoing violence between armed groups and criminal organizations for control over strategic routes and illicit economies is enabled by longstanding security, governance and development vacuums that must be overcome for lasting stabilization of these areas. The areas where violence is most acute today are precisely those where implementation of the Agreement and presence of State institutions has been insufficient.
Conflict-affected regions such as Catatumbo and Cauca, where the Mission is present on the ground and able to help provide a bridge between local actors and authorities, are cases in point. Not only have they suffered for decades the consequences of war and the lack of a comprehensive State presence, but these conditions have also worsened over the past few years. The dire situation in Catatumbo was described to me recently in a meeting of local ombudspersons. Although special development plans for Catatumbo were announced after an upsurge in violence last year, conflict among armed groups has continued and intensified with changing methods of warfare, such as the use of drones. Breaking these recurrent cycles of violence requires that the central Government fulfills the promises it makes of increased attention and better coordinated responses to meet the needs of these regions.
We denounce the armed groups’ continued threats and violence against civilians, the recruitment and use of children, kidnapping of persons and other actions that have led to confinement and displacement. A new incident was reported last week in Lopez de Micay, in Cauca; we join in the call of the Ombudsman for the release of 8 persons who remained detained, allegedly by an armed group after an incursion that forced 70 families to flee their community. The Mission stands ready to continue to facilitate the release of persons held against their will in Colombia.
Mr. President,
It is vitally important to ensure the physical security and the judicial guarantees afforded to the former FARC-EP leaders and combatants who disarmed under the Agreement. More than 11,000 of them are still actively engaged in the reintegration process-- the vast majority of those who laid down their arms. This is one of the examples globally where recidivism has been the lowest. Providing security guarantees and sustainable economic opportunities is essential to achieve three key goals within any reintegration process: first, to mitigate attempts at recruitment by armed groups; second, to enable former combatants to consolidate their place as citizens; and third, to prevent the resurgence of violence. The leadership of the former FARC-EP has been clear in reaffirming publicly, and within the former combatant population, their commitment to keep abiding by the Peace Agreement.
In recent days, with a view to the transition in administrations, they and other constituencies affiliated with the Peace Agreement have issued clear appeals for a recentering of peacebuilding efforts going forward on the further implementation of the Peace Agreement. Diverse organizations of civil society, including victims, Afro-Colombian and Indigenous groups, are urging this renewed focus on the peace accord.
Mr. President,
The comprehensive rural reform of the Peace Agreement can be a key ingredient to stabilizing conflict-affected areas. It can create viable alternatives to illicit activities and help to unlock the economic potential of these rural regions. An example of progress under the auspices of the Agreement that should be strengthened in the period ahead are the investments made under the Development Programmes with a Territorial Focus (PDET in Spanish) in 170 conflict-affected municipalities —home to close to 6 million people. Recognizing that the transformation of these territories requires time, political forces in Congress —otherwise opposed on many issues— recently agreed to extend the timeline for the implementation of the PDET to 2037. The demands of the communities should be addressed through these projects. Focused progress in the next few years, which the Mission can continue to monitor, would cement the conditions for sustainable results over the long-term.
Progress has also been made in providing land to landless farmers, victims, rural women, and Indigenous peoples. However, much remains to be done. For example, in providing formal titles, technical and financial support enabling the land to be productive. The physical security of some of the new owners remains a serious concern. The Mission has observed serious incidents of intimidation aimed at driving them out. In the Department of Meta, a family was recently assaulted and tortured by armed men. Such acts of violence must cease. Strengthening security for beneficiaries and resolving longstanding tenure disputes through legal and institutional channels will be key to preventing old conflict dynamics from re-emerging and to sustaining confidence in the peace process.
Mr. President, Distinguished Members of the Council,
Colombia, despite the serious challenges it still faces, has moved forward since the most difficult times of its armed conflict. It is crucial to protect what progress has been made, to expand security and development through enhanced State presence in the regions still affected heavily by conflict, and to ensure justice is delivered under the terms of the Agreement for those who suffered the most.
As a new political chapter begins, another milestone will come later this year when the Peace Agreement reaches the 10-year mark, two-thirds of the way along a formal 15-year timetable that was set by the Peace Agreement itself. This remaining timeframe provides a useful horizon to work to accelerate and consolidate progress in aspects that have already advanced considerably over the years -- and which remain important for lasting peace and security for the Colombian people. The Security Council has been a constant source of support and encouragement for the country to persist on the path to peace and prosperity for the Colombian people, and I am sure this will remain the case.
Thank you, Mr. President.
***
