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Mme President, Mme Foreign Minister, Excellencies, 

• First of all, let me acknowledge the fact that Colombia sets an example to the international community when it comes to building and sustaining peace. The consistent engagement with both the Security Council - as we saw yesterday - and the Peacebuilding Commission and the briefings by both the foreign minister and a representative of the former FARC-EP guerrilla shows the true dedication and national ownership that is required. The national prevention efforts embodied in the Colombian Peace Agreement is exactly the type of processes that the UN membership unanimously called for in the Pact for the Future. 

Madame Chair, 

• Colombia is a key partner for the EU. The EU has supported the peace process in Colombia for over two decades, both politically and financially to the tune of EUR 500M.  A large part of this focused on supporting the implementation of the Peace Agreement and the Truth Commission. We have also worked extensively with the national prosecutor’s office and with the judiciary, on issues such as missing persons, protections of women and children affected by the conflict and on fighting disinformation, stigmatisation and violent narratives. The EU together with its Members States intend to continue with various instruments to support the peace process for as long as necessary.
• Today allow me to make three points;
• First, on security: Thanks to the 2016 Peace Agreement, Colombia is safer today than in the 1990s and early 2000s, but persisting levels of violence calls for further effective action. Curbing violence, remains the overall goal to ensure the safety of communities and ensure the protection of their rights.
• Second, on accountability and transitional justice: It is important that the Special Jurisdiction for Peace issue its first restorative sentences soon to provide closure for victims.
• The EU also remains concerned about the slow progress in investigations of attacks against former combatants and social leaders, as most cases remain unresolved.  Providing adequate resources for the judicial authorities and enhanced cooperation with security forces especially in the most-affected regions is indispensable to counter the impression of impunity.
• Third, we welcome the adoption last year of Colombia’s national action plan on Women, Peace and Security and call for its implementation. Violence faced by women and girls in conflict-affected territories perpetrated by all armed actors remains deeply worrying, as is the practice of child recruitment. We also recall that the conflict has affected indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities disproportionally, and we remain concerned that efforts to implement the ethnic chapter of the Peace Agreement remain at an early stage. 

Madam President,

• The EU calls upon the Government to follow through on its commitment to accelerate implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement that aims to overcome illegal activity and violence in the country.
• The Colombian peace process needs the strong support of the international community. The EU will continue to stand by Colombia and work closely with the authorities to explore where our assistance and expertise are best placed.
• Thank you