Mission will be ready for ceasefire monitoring and verification on 26 September

Bogotá –Following the United Nations Security Council’s unanimous support to the UN Mission in Colombia for the second time, the Mission is ready to begin verifying and monitoring the bilateral ceasefire and laying down of arms once the peace agreement is signed on 26 September.

The Security Council’s decision, which stresses the international community’s support for the peace process in the country, welcomes the recommendations of the Secretary-General on the size, operational aspects and the mandate of the Mission.

With this crucial backing, the Mission has already begun deployment, with groups of observers and civilian staff in the eight cities: Bucaramanga, Florence, Medellin, Popayan, Quibdo, San José del Guaviare, Valledupar and Villavicencio.

Upon the signing of the Final Agreement on 26 September, the Mission will have around 200 women and men who will begin monitoring the ceasefire. This includes 80 new observers who will join 80 women and men already on the ground.

Mission personnel in the region are actively meeting with local authorities, religious leaders, members of civil society—including Afro-Colombian, indigenous and women organizations—to explain the mandate of this United Nations political mission.

The Mission carried out further coordination tasks with the parties to help consolidate the ceasefire declared by President of Colombia Juan Manuel Santos and the leader of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) Timoleon Jimenez.

The Mission is working to set up the tripartite mechanism in charge of monitoring and verifying the bilateral and definitive ceasefire. It also supports logistical preparation in the areas where the separation of forces, the laying down of arms and the beginning of a transition to civilian life will take place.

The Security Council resolution recognizes the need for the Monitoring and Verification Mechanism to start functioning promptly and authorizes the Mission to share equally with the Government of Colombia the necessary financial support for the preparation and management of assembly areas.

UN Secretary General UN Ban Ki-moon announced his participation in the “signing of the historic peace agreement between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP to end the decades-long conflict.”

“The United Nations will be there to help implement the agreement, and will give the people of Colombia our full support as they chart a new path for the country,” Ban Ki-moon stressed.

“This achievement shows what is possible through patient and painstaking diplomacy.  I hope other parties to conflicts around the world will take inspiration and action to stop needless bloodshed.”

Media contact:

Carolina Azevedo, azevedoc@un.org

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