Kuwait reaffirms support to UN peace mission in Colombia

NEW YORK, Jan 23 (KUNA) -- Kuwait's Representative to the United Nations Mansour A. Al-Otaibi renewed on Wednesday his country's full backing for the efforts of the newly-appointed UN Secretary-General's Special Representative to Colombia Carlos Ruiz Massieu to verify the implementation of Colombia's 2016 peace agreement.
Hailing Colombia's Peace with Legality plan as crucial, Ambassador Al-Otaibi underlined, in a speech to the Security Council, the importance of rural development and continued international support for the country's peace and stability.
"Also essential are the complete reintegration of former FARC-EP members and the full implementation of transitional justice," he said, referring to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia.
Ambassador Al-Otaibi called on the Colombian government to step up efforts to substitute illicit crops.
"The continued killing, violence and threats against social leaders and human rights defenders - as demonstrated in the 17 January attack in Bogota - constitutes a major obstacle to the peace process and must be addressed swiftly," he stressed.
Ambassador Al-Otaibi commended the ongoing work of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia, in conjunction with the Government and regional players, describing Colombia as "a success story to be emulated by other countries around the world.
Briefing the Security Council on the situation in Colombia earlier today, Carlos Ruiz Massieu, who is also head of the Verification Mission, urged swift action against lingering violence and terrorism to bolster support for the peace accord.
"The broad public consensus in Colombia in support of the peace agreement which ended more than 50 years of bloody civil strife must be preserved and bolstered, with swift action to address lingering violence and terrorist acts," he said.
Describing recent developments including a 17 January car bomb that killed 21 people at a police academy in Bogota, Massieu said the incident was swiftly rejected by stakeholders across the political spectrum and that Colombians took to the streets to march against it.
"The country's ever-broader consensus to reject violence must continue to be nurtured," he stressed.
Outlining the Verification Mission's work to those ends, he described meetings with President Iv?n Duque M?rquez, Foreign Minister Carlos Trujillo, leaders of the FARC and other stakeholders committed to the country's peace process.
Among recent progress, the high-level Forum on Gender - responsible for the implementation of the peace agreement's gender provisions - met for the first time on 16 January; the Special Jurisdiction for Peace completed its first year of work; and the Truth, Coexistence and Non-Repetition Commission embarked on its three-year mandate.
Turning to the economic reintegration of former FARC EP members, he welcomed the approval of additional productive projects by the National Reintegration Council, as well as advances in disbursements for those projects.
Meanwhile, he commended President Duque for his commitment to addressing the spate of deadly attacks against social leaders and human rights defenders.
"The security of communities, leaders and FARC members are ultimately tied to the ability of the State to establish an integrated security and civilian presence in conflict-affected areas," he stressed, welcoming the Government's new "Peace with Legality" plan.
Council members taking the floor following that briefing expressed solidarity with the Government and people of Colombia as they confront violence and terrorism, and strongly rejected the recent car bombing. (end) asf.gb