Quito, Ecuador. 29 September 2017 – On Friday, September 29, the Government of Colombia and the National Liberation Army (ELN) made a joint request to the Security Council to authorise the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to participate in the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism established to strengthen the bilateral and temporary cease-fire bilateral beginning on 1 October 2017. 

We would like to convey to both parties once again the congratulations of the United Nations Secretary-General and the support expressed by the Security Council for the important decision to declare this ceasefire in order to alleviate humanitarian impacts in areas most exposed to violence.

The United Nations appreciates the confidence placed in the Organization by entrusting to it the important functions of coordination, prevention of incidents, and verification.

We express our deep satisfaction that the Catholic Church in Colombia has agreed to accompany the Mechanism of Monitoring and Verification, and the United Nations in particular in its prevention and verification activities at the regional and local levels. It will be an honour and a privilege for the members of our Mission to collaborate with the Catholic Church of Colombia in the interest of peace.

With today’s request, the Government and the ELN seek to involve more fully the international community in the search for peace in Colombia. We see in this a demonstration of the seriousness and of their commitment to the ceasefire. We hope it will also provide further motivation to comply fully with the commitments undertaken.

This cease-fire agreement has raised expectations among the communities most affected by the conflict that this will contribute to alleviating the humanitarian situation and reducing violence. We hope that these expectations will soon be met.

For its part, the United Nations Verification Mission stands ready, pending the approval of the Security Council, to assume its responsibilities alongside the Government, the ELN, and the Catholic Church with our full commitment to ensuring that the ceasefire agreement is implemented successfully.

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