He thanked the Government of Colombia for its continuous cooperation with the UN verification mission and stressed the crucial role of the Security Council in the progress achieved to date. The veteran diplomatic and negotiator formally assumes his position at the end of this month.
Mr. Jenča emphasized that the integral implementation of the final peace agreement remains the cornerstone of efforts to consolidate lasting peace in the country, which formally ended decades of conflict between the rebels of FARC and government forces.
Research mission
After his designation, Mr. Jenča made a preparatory visit to Colombia in September, where he met a wide range of interested parties, including government officials, signatories of the Peace Agreement, former combatants and representatives of civil society.
He recognized significant progress in key areas such as rural reform, reintegration and transition justice, while highlighting continuous challenges, particularly in the areas of safety and financial support.
Mr. Jenča welcomed the process that this month saw the first prayers transmitted under transition justice measures by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP), describing it as a historical milestone in the search for truth, justice and reparation.
“The conflict inflicted immeasurable suffering to victims and their families. The transition justice process is delivering unprecedented convictions and acceptance of responsibility by those who committed serious crimeswhile involving the victims in the process and offered them repair through the restorative action to be carried out by the perpetrators, ”he said.
Call rapid implementation
He asked the Government to immediately ensure prayers: this includes actions such as the authorization of the mine, the search for missing persons and community -based infrastructure projects.
The special representative expressed concern about the resurgence of violence in certain regions, which stresses that insecurity remains the greatest threat to peace.
He emphasized the urgent need to guarantee the safe conduct of the next national elections and the protection of communities and former combatants equally.
Finally, Mr. Jenča reaffirmed the preparation of the UN mission to adapt to the needs of evolution and continue to generate confidence between the parties in the peace agreement on the ground.
He pointed out that the presence of the mission in the areas affected by conflicts is essential and emphasized that Colombia is a “rare case” in which the Council has been able to respond with specific assistance to a national property peace process.
“These are favorable circumstances for the United Nations to continue making a positive and focused contribution,” Jenča concluded.
Colombia reaffirms its commitment
The Colombian ambassador, Leonor Zalabata, reaffirmed his government’s total commitment to the integral implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement.
Speaking as a woman, an indigenous leader of Arhuaco and a human rights defender, emphasized the multi -ethnic and multicultural scope of the ambitious agreement, describing the concrete progress achieved so far under the administration of President Gustavo Petro.
This includes the formalization of more than three million hectares of rural lands, the recognition of indigenous and Afro -descendant territories, and support for more than 11,000 former combatants in the reintegration process.
US questions questions
The United States ambassador, Mike Waltz, criticized President Gustavo Petro’s policies on security and the peace process, telling the ambassadors that the UN verification mission mandate had expanded unnecessarily “Reflect excessive political priorities”, such as transition justice and support for minority ethnic groups.
“The United States is closely examining the mandate of this mission and if it deserves continuous support from the UN Security Council,” he added.