S/PV.9461 Security Council

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Members of the Council have before them document S/2023/808, which contains the text of a draft resolution submitted by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. I wish to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/2023/701, which contains the report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia. The Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution before it. I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now.

The draft resolution received 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 2704 (2023). I shall now give the floor to those members of the Council who wish to make statements after the voting. Dame Barbara Woodward (United Kingdom): I would like to thank colleagues for the constructive engagement during the negotiations. The United Kingdom welcomes this consensus adoption, which sends a strong signal of support for the peace process in Colombia. As the women and peace and security high-level weeks draws to a close, it is fitting that the Security Council has recognized the efforts of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia to incorporate gender as a cross-cutting issue in implementing its mandate and ensuring adequate gender expertise.

The three African members of the Security Council (A3) welcomes the unanimous adoption of resolution 2704 (2023), on the extension of the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia, which was presented by the United Kingdom, which we thank for its dedicated efforts in conducting the negotiations to reach a consensus text. The vote in favour of the resolution serves to reiterate our commitment to supporting the Government and the Colombian people towards building a stable and lasting peace. Guided by the trust that the Colombia has placed in the United Nations to verify the implementation of the Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace in the country, and given the remarkable achievements registered so far in the negotiations with the Ejército de Liberación Nacional, we are committed to supporting the Mission in its continued monitoring and verification of the ceasefire agreement between the Government of Colombia and the Estado Mayor Central, contingent on the necessary conditions set forth by the Secretary-General. We will continue to monitor and encourage further advancement of the ethnic chapter of the peace agreement, an important component of the agreement that will go far in re-establishing justice and equality for all Colombian people, including Afro-Colombians and Indigenous people. In conclusion, the A3 will continue to offer its unwavering support to the Verification Mission and the Special Representative of the Secretary-General as they diligently monitor and enforce compliance with the commitments of the Colombian peace agreement. Their exemplary performance in that role deserves acknowledgement and reinforces our commitment to the ongoing efforts.

We are pleased that the Security Council came together today to unanimously extend the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia for another 12 months. We are particularly delighted that a reference to the importance of including youth in the peace process was reflected. As the driving force of the future, the voices and active participation of youth should be protected, respected and promoted for the peace process to be sustainable. Protection for young community members and leaders is needed to ensure their full and effective participation in peacebuilding efforts. The need to provide protection for young community members and leaders to ensure their full and effective participation in peacebuilding efforts was also part of the advice from the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) to the Security Council. That practice will strengthen relations between the PBC and the Council, which Japan believes is important. We hope that such good practices will be enhanced. We also welcome the emphasis on the efforts of the United Nations Verification Mission to continue to integrate a gender perspective as a cross- cutting issue into its work, among other perspectives. In conclusion, Japan reaffirms its firm support for the work of the United Nations Verification Mission. We remain committed to supporting the peace process and the peacebuilding efforts in Colombia.

I shall now make a statement in my capacity as the representative of Brazil. (spoke in Spanish) Brazil congratulates the members of the Security Council for the unanimous adoption of resolution  2704  (2023)), on the renewal of the mandate of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia. Brazil thanks the United Kingdom for its excellent work as penholder. The task of the Security Council in Colombia responds, and must always respond, to the needs and priorities of Colombia as expressed by its Government. In that sense, we are pleased to recognize that the resolution adopted today fully reflects the sovereign will of that country. Brazil supports the strategy of the Government of Petro Urrego to achieve “total peace”. We recognize the importance and need for the additional dialogues taking place to expand the benefits of peace throughout the country. We follow with interest and optimism the Government’s dialogue with the self-proclaimed Estado Mayor Central (EMC) group. As in the case of the Ejército de Liberación Nacional, we hope that the Council can authorize the Mission to verify the implementation of the ceasefire agreement with the EMC when the necessary degree of maturity is reached. It is important to optimize the Council’s contribution to the joint advancement of the different negotiation processes in Colombia, especially with the goal of encouraging ceasefires, both with the Government and between the groups that still dispute territories. The peace process in Colombia is an example for the world of how to prioritize and integrate the women and peace and security perspective; the Verification Mission in Colombia must also reflect that reality. Ensuring the incorporation of the gender perspective in every facet of peacebuilding and peacebuilding work is essential to achieving broader and more sustainable solutions. That is not about adding tasks, but about improving the quality of our approach to the peace process. Addressing issues essential to peace in Colombia, from rural reform to the reintegration of ex-combatants, through a gender-sensitive approach, enriches efforts and solidifies the foundation for lasting peace in the country. We once again congratulate the people and the Government of Colombia for their persistent efforts to seek, achieve and consolidate total peace throughout its territory. Peace is the only possible way to ensure the prosperity and citizenship of all Colombians. The renewal of the mandate of the Verification Mission by the Security Council is an invaluable contribution to definitive success in the complex but imperative path that Colombia is travelling. (spoke in English) I now resume my functions as President of the Council. There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers.