From 12 to 14 August, the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Colombia, Miroslav Jenča, visited the department of Santander and the southern part of Bolívar department. During the visit, he met with departmental and local authorities, representatives of the Catholic Church, former combatants in the process of reintegration, members of the security forces, and personnel of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia. The visit provided an opportunity to assess first-hand the progress and remaining challenges in implementing the 2016 Peace Agreement, with particular attention to the protection of communities, security, territorial development, and stronger coordination among public institutions, communities and the private sector.
In Bucaramanga, the Special Representative met with departmental authorities and senior military and police commanders from north-eastern Colombia to exchange views on the security situation and recognise their efforts to protect communities and former combatants. In Barrancabermeja, he met with the Diocese to discuss the humanitarian challenges facing the Magdalena Medio region and reaffirmed the close cooperation between the Verification Mission and the Catholic Church in support of communities affected by violence.
In Puerto Parra, Miroslav Jenča visited the newly established Special Collective Reintegration Area, where he recognised the commitment of former combatants to their reintegration process and to the implementation of the Peace Agreement, despite repeated displacement and other challenges. He also underscored the importance of securing legal certainty over the land to ensure the sustainability of their productive projects and long-term livelihoods.
During the visit, the Special Representative also met with the Verification Mission team working in Santander and southern Bolívar. He expressed his appreciation for their work under challenging conditions, marked by persistent violence and difficult access to remote areas, and thanked them for their daily commitment to the Mission’s verification mandate and its support for communities and the implementation of the Peace Agreement.
En Santander y el Sur de Bolívar, los equipos de @MisionONUCol trabajan en condiciones complejas, marcadas por dinámicas de violencia y retos de acceso al territorio. Valoro profundamente la labor de mis colegas en este territorio y su disposición por la paz de Colombia. pic.twitter.com/gZ9wRhiZiM
— Miroslav Jenča (@JencaMiroslav) August 15, 2026
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