Joint Communique No. 2

Havana, Cuba - The delegations of the National Government and the FARC-EP, after meeting in Havana with the guarantor countries and the Head of the UN Mission in Colombia, Jean Arnault, wish to inform public opinion that:

1. After almost four years of intensive talks, on 24 August we concluded the Final Agreement for the Termination of the Conflict and the Construction of a Stable and Lasting Peace, to which we are committed. We believe it contains the necessary reforms and measures to lay the foundations for peace and ensure the end of the armed conflict.

We recognize, however, that a majority of those who participated in the Plebiscite of 2 October pronounced themselves for the “NO”, even if by a narrow margin. Within the framework of the  presidential powers granted by the Constitution it is appropriate that we continue listening, in a quick and efficient process, to different sectors of society, to understand their concerns and promptly define a solution, along the paths indicated in the ruling of the Constitutional Court C-376 of 2016. The proposals for adjustments and clarifications resulting from this process will be discussed between the National Government and the FARC-EP to give assurances to all.

2. We reiterate the commitment of the President of the Republic and the Commander of the FARC-EP to maintain the Bilateral and Definitive Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities decreed on 29 August, and the monitoring and verification by the tripartite mechanism, as well as the guarantees of security and protection of communities in their territories, as defined in the Protocol by the parties.

To help consolidate the ceasefire we have agreed on a protocol aimed at preventing any incidents in areas for pre-grouping in the defined quadrants, and ensuring a climate of security and calm with the full implementation of all rules governing the Bilateral and Definitive Ceasefire and Cessation of Hostilities.

The Tripartite Monitoring and Verification Mechanism, with the participation of the Government and the FARC-EP, and coordinated by the UN Mission in Colombia, will be responsible for monitoring and verifying compliance with the protocol, in particular compliance with the rules governing the Ceasefire.

3. To that end, we request the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and through him the Security Council, to authorize the United Nations Mission in Colombia to execute the tasks of monitoring, verification, resolution of differences, recommendations, reporting and coordination of the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism envisaged in Resolution 2261 (2016), in reference to the above-mentioned Protocol.

We also invite the countries contributing unarmed observers to the Mission to continue deploying their men and women, who will continue counting on all the necessary security guarantees.

4. In parallel, we will continue making progress in the implementation of confidence-building measures of a humanitarian nature, such as the search for missing persons, humanitarian demining pilot plans, voluntary substitution of illicit crops, commitments regarding the release of minors from the camps and on the situation of persons deprived of liberty.

5. The delegations thank the International Committee of the Red Cross for its continued support, Chile and Venezuela for accompanying the process and especially Cuba and Norway for their intensive and dedicated assistance in the construction of the Colombia peace agreements, their constant contributions to the search for solutions in difficult times and their readiness to continue supporting the peace process.