United Nations S/ PV.8581 Security Council Provisional Seventy-fourth year 8581st meeting Friday, 19 July 2018, 10.20 a.m. New York President: Mr. Popolizio Bardales ........................... (Peru) Members: Belgium ....................................... Mr. Pecsteen de Buytswerve China ......................................... Mr. Wu Haitao Côte d’Ivoire ................................... Mr. Ipo Dominican Republic .............................. Mr. Singer Weisinger Equatorial Guinea ............................... Mr. Ndong Mba France ........................................ Mr. De Rivière Germany ...................................... Mr. Heusgen Indonesia. Mr. Djani Kuwait ........................................ Mr. Alotaibi Poland ........................................ Ms. Wronecka Russian Federation ............................... Mr. Nebenzia South Africa ................................... Mr. Matjila United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland .. Mr. Allen United States of America .......................... Mr. Hunter Agenda Identical letters dated 19 January 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (5/2016/53) Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia (S/2019/530) This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches delivered in other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-0506 ([email protected]). Corrected records will be reissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org). 19-22372 (E) *1922372* S/PV.8581 Colombia 19/07/2019 The meeting was called to order at 10.20 a.m. the peace process since their last visit two years ago, as well as the remaining challenges. The visit was a Adoption of the agenda timely reaffirmation of the international community’s strong support for this process. It was well received by The agenda was adopted. the Government, the Fuerza Alternativa Revolucionaria Identical letters dated 19 January 2016 from the del Común (FARC), political parties from across the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the spectrum, the heads of the transitional justice system, United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General civil society organizations, local authorities and and the President of the Security Council community leaders with whom the Council met in the (S/2016/53) department of Cauca. Report of the Secretary-General on the As pointed out by the Secretary-General in his United Nations Verification Mission in report, and as the Council was able to observe on Colombia (S/2019/530) the ground, the assessment of the peace process is mixed. While the efforts of the Government to The President (spoke in Spanish): In accordance advance the reintegration of former Fuerza Armadas with rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of Revolucionarias de Colombia-Ejército del Pueblo procedure, I invite the representative of Colombia to (FARC-EP) members have begun showing important participate in this meeting. concrete results, security in conflict-affected areas On behalf of the Council, I warmly welcome His remains of grave concern. Excellency Mr. Carlos Holmes Trujillo García, Minister It is also important to highlight that, despite some for Foreign Affairs of Colombia. recent examples to the contrary, the great majority of In accordance with rule 39 of the Council’s former FARC-EP members, as well as the leadership provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Carlos of the FARC party, remain strongly committed to the Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary- peace process. This commitment is reflected in their General and Head of the United Nations Verification participation in Congress, their preparations to take Mission in Colombia, to participate in this meeting. part in the upcoming elections and their efforts to reintegrate into civilian life and to build a better future The Security Council will now begin its for their families and communities. To cite just a few consideration of the item on its agenda. examples of what has been accomplished through I wish to draw the attention of Council members to the perseverance of former combatants, last week document S/2019/530, which contains the report of the products of FARC-led cooperatives were on display Secretary-General on the United Nations Verification at Colombia’s largest agricultural fair in Bogotá, Mission in Colombia. including coffee, beef products and handicrafts. In I now give the floor to Mr. Ruiz Massieu. May, five former combatants and three community members, who have become rafting trainers as part of Mr. Ruiz Massieu (spoke in Spanish): It is an an ecotourism project, competed under the Colombian honour to present to the Council the latest report of the flag at the World Rafting Championships in Australia. Secretary-General on the United Nations Verification The support of the Government, local communities and Mission in Colombia (S/2019/530). I wish to take this the international community, among others, has been opportunity to welcome the presence of Mr. Néstor instrumental in making this possible. Popolizio Bardales, Minister for Foreign Relations of Peru and President of the Security Council; Mr. Carlos Over the past six weeks, the Government and the Holmes Trujillo García, Minister for Foreign Affairs FARC, joined by the Mission, have undertaken visits of Colombia; and Mr. Emilio Archila, Presidential to the ten territorial areas to discuss their future with Counsellor for Stabilization and Consolidation. former combatants, communities and local authorities. We commend both the Government and the FARC (spoke in English) for their flexibility and willingness to find mutually During their visit to Colombia last week, Council agreeable solutions. This successful joint effort led by members were able to appreciate the achievements of the Government to overcome a hurdle in implementation 2/23 19-22372 19/07/2019 Colombia S/PV.8581 through dialogue should set an example to advance in It is important to make every effort so that the other areas. upcoming October elections can be as peaceful as last year’s presidential and legislative elections. These The Government has reassured former combatants elections will be another important step in the political of its commitment to formalizing land arrangements for reintegration of the FARC. To date, the party has the territorial areas for training and reintegration and to registered more than 120 candidates, approximately maintain the monthly allowance for former combatants. half of whom are former combatants. Additional steps It is essential to ensure the adequate resources to meet must be taken to ensure their security, as well as that of Government goals for housing, health, education candidates from all other political parties. and childcare. We remain gravely concerned about the situation It is urgent to increase the number of productive of social leaders and human rights defenders. As was projects for former combatants and to provide the mentioned earlier, one leader from Cauca, Francia necessary technical assistance and access to markets in Márquez, was not able to attend the meeting with order to ensure their sustainability. Both parties have a the Council after being threatened by an illegal responsibility to re-energize the process of presentation, armed group. The plight of hundreds of brave leaders approval and disbursement of funding for the projects. under threat around the country is unacceptable. The Communities, ethnic populations and women should be subcommission of the National Commission on Security at the centre of these efforts. Guarantees recently met to receive inputs from civil Proper attention must also be paid to the society organizations, but we remain concerned that approximately 8,000 former combatants living outside the Commission itself has not met for many months. Its mandate, which is the design and implementation of the territorial areas, including in new settlements and a public policy to dismantle criminal organizations, is urban areas. All actors involved in supporting the essential to putting a stop to these killings. reintegration process must recognize this changing landscape and adapt strategies accordingly with a view It is important to note that the Government has to providing these former combatants with reintegration just announced protective measures for leaders of options and security guarantees. the National Comprehensive Programme for the Substitution of Illicit Crops. I welcome those measures, As the Council heard directly from communities in as well as recent efforts to implement a comprehensive Cauca, the security situation is extremely concerning programme to address the specific situation of women in former conflict areas. Since the Secretary-General’s leaders. These populations are particularly vulnerable report was issued three weeks ago, four more former to threats from criminal armed groups and deserve the combatants have been killed, bringing the number special attention they are being given. of former FARC-EP members killed since the peace agreement was signed