Popayan, Cauca, Colombia - The Government of Colombia, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) and the United Nations Mission in the country have wrapped up a seven-day training session for 80 women and men who will take part in the tripartite mechanism in charge of monitoring and verifying the bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities.

Twenty five national security force officials, 25 FARC-EP members and 30 UN international observers conducted field exercises and group dynamics to enhance integration, coexistence and communication among peers, under intense technical and academic preparation for the ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism.

The group shared the common principles of responsibility, respect, transparency and gender nondiscrimination during the training sessions led by Admiral Orlando Romero Reyes of Colombia, FARC-EP commander Marco Leon Calarca, and the head of UN observers General Javier Perez Aquino.

The 80 women and men from the Government, FARC-EP and UN Mission trained this week will work under the Bogota-based national authority and in out-posted in eight regions: Valledupar, Bucaramanga, Medellin, Quibdo, San José del Guaviare, Villavicencio, Florence and Popayan. They will be responsible for further training their peers at the regional and local levels.

The training session addressed key aspects of the General Agreement for the “Termination of the Conflict and the Construction of a Stable and Lasting Peace and covered the Agreement on the Bilateral and Definitive Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities, and the Laydown of Weapons” between the National Government and the FARC-EP and its protocols, ensuring clear understanding of the tools and duties envisioned, including operation procedures.

The training session also generated tools for early dispute resolution that will contribute to building trust and ensuring logistical and operational effectiveness once the tripartite monitoring and verification mechanism is fully operational.