In a press statement, the members of the Security Council strongly condemned the multiple killings in recent months. They noted that this violence occurred mainly in areas with limited state presence and disputes between illegal armed groups and criminal organizations.

 

The council members stressed the importance of bringing those responsible to justice, and encouraged all relevant actors to redouble their efforts against impunity.

 

They urged the National Commission on Security Guarantees to finalize, in partnership with civil society, and promptly implement a public policy to dismantle illegal armed groups. They welcomed the approval by the National Protection Unit of additional protection measures for former combatants, and urged adequate funding to address the backlog of pending protection requests.

 

They reiterated their full and unanimous support for the peace process in Colombia and reaffirmed their commitment to working closely with the country to support the comprehensive implementation of the peace agreement.

 

The Colombian government and FARC struck a peace deal in August 2016 after four years of negotiations in Havana, Cuba, ending a five-decade-long conflict in the country. The United Nations deploys a verification mission in Colombia to verify the political, economic and social reintegration of former FARC combatants as well as security guarantees.