At a press conference held on the sidelines of the Conference on Biodiversity (COP16), Guterres welcomed the renewed efforts of the Government to accelerate the implementation of the axes of the Agreement established in 2016 with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army).

He also welcomed the commitment of the other signatory party, the former combatants, who are now working as partners in peacebuilding.

While acknowledging challenges in its implementation, he called for this historic pact to remain at the centre of peacebuilding as a spur to break the circles of violence that still persist, to confront the causes that generate it and to promote change in the regions affected by it.

“There must be no delay for the peace dividend to reach all parts of Colombia. To all those who are still waiting for the promise of peace to be realised,” he said.

He also praised the work carried out by the transitional justice system which, despite being a pioneering body in the country, he acknowledged, has an important mission, especially in terms of accompanying the victims of the conflict, and called on this body to move forward.

Guterres considered that the policy of total peace promoted by the Government is a laudable goal, which seeks to broaden peaceful coexistence in a complementary manner to the agreement already adopted.

mh/mem/ifs