United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia - Report of the Secretary-General (S/2022/1004)
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Download ReportI. Introduction
1 . The present report is submitted pursuant to Security Council resolution 2655 (2022), by which the Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, and Council resolution 2366 (2017), in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to report on the implementation of the mandate of the Mission every 90 days. The present report covers the period from 27 Septembe r 2022 to 26 December 2022.
II. Major developments
2 . During its first four months, the Government has taken important steps to halt violence and consolidate peace. In particular, the President of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, has reiterated his Administration’s commitment to the comprehensive implementation of the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace as a core element of his Government’s “total peace” policy, including during events commemorating the sixth anniversary of the Final Agreement in November. During the reporting period, the President also chaired sessions of key implementation mechanisms, namely the Commission for the Follow-Up, Promotion and Verification of the Implementation of the Final Agreement (see para. 24 below) and the National Commission on Security Guarantees (see para. 68 below). Furthermore, the Government announced that the coordination of the implementation of the Final Agreement will fall under the responsibility of a new unit, led by Gloria Cuartas, within the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace.
3 . Under the leadership of the High Commissioner for Peace, Danilo Rueda, the Government has moved forward with other key elements of its “total peace” policy, such as resuming negotiations with the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), among others. A first round of negotiations was carried out successfully during th e reporting period (see paras. 100–102 below).
4 . In addition, the Office of the High Commissioner for Peace held exploratory talks with over a dozen armed groups, which have expressed their interest in taking part in efforts to end violence. In regions particularly affected by violence, such as the city of Buenaventura, in Valle del Cauca Department, illega l armed actors have responded positively to the call by the Government to halt violence, leading to a significant decrease in the homicide rate.
5 . President Petro signed into law the bill reforming the Law on Public Order, which provides a legal framework for the “total peace” policy, authorizing the President to carry out peace negotiations with armed groups, such as ELN, and approaches to other illegal armed structures geared towards their submission to justice. It also enables the President to authorize the holding of peace talks at the regional level, the establishment of zones for disarmament and transition to legality, the appointment of regional peace commissioners and the possibility of implementing partial agreements as negotiations move forward.
6 . Under a process launched by the Government to ensure participatory dialogue to inform the design of the National Development Plan for 2022–2026, some 140,000 citizens provided their proposals at over 50 Government-led gatherings. Congress should begin discussing the Plan’s draft next February.
7 . In addition, Congress discussed and approved key legislation, including elements related to peace consolidation. Congress approved the national budget for 2023 and a tax reform presented by the Government, and ratified the Regional Agreement on Access to Information, Public Participation and Justice in Environmental Matters in Latin America and the Caribbean (Escazú Agreement), which includes provisions for the protection of environmental leaders. Congress also recently approved the creation of the Ministry of Equality, which will be led by the Vice-President of Colombia, Francia Márquez.
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