Madam President, 

I welcome Colombian Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo Urrutia to today’s meeting, and I thank Special Representative Carlos Ruiz Massieu for his briefing. I have also listened carefully to the statement made by the representative of civil society. 

In February this year, members of the Security Council paid a successful visit to Colombia. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government of Colombia for its warm invitation and thoughtful arrangements. My thanks also go to Guyana as the then Council President for its careful organization and to the UK and Switzerland as co-leads for their considerable work. During the visit, Council members witnessed the important progress made in the implementation of the peace agreement and in the promotion of ceasefire and peace talks, felt the strong determination of various parties in Colombia to move the peace process forward, and also saw the difficulties in the implementation of the peace agreement and the risks and challenges ahead. 

Whether it is the implementation of the peace agreement or the advancement of “Total Peace”, it is necessary for the parties in Colombia to maintain confidence and unity, take stock of lessons learned, identify root causes and formulate policies and initiatives that are in line with the realities of the country, that meet the needs of their stakeholders, and that can be implemented in a practical manner. The international community and the Security Council should use this visit as an opportunity to review its work over the past few years during consideration of and support for the peace process in Colombia. In light of the developments of the situation and the actual needs, it is necessary to optimize and adjust the relevant policy practices, so as to provide more targeted support to Colombia. I would like to touch upon three points. 

First, we must promote national development and work for sustainable peace. According to information received during the visit from the Colombian Government and representatives from various walks of life, one of the main obstacles to the implementation of the peace agreement, which has fallen short of expectations, is the inadequate progress in key areas such as rural reform, land distribution, and reintegration of ex-combatants. We encourage the Government of Colombia to continue to scale up its efforts in these areas. We look forward to such efforts being translated into a solid foundation for advancing the peace process. At the same time, we are cognizant of the many difficulties and challenges faced by the Colombia Government in implementing the relevant policies. We hope the UN Verification Mission will, in accordance with the mandate, provide greater support to Colombia in this regard, and coordinate with UNCT, UNDP, PBC and other agencies as well as international and regional partners, so as to build synergy. 

Second, we must promote the process of dialogue and reconciliation and consolidate the momentum for peace. We welcome the continued extension of the ceasefire between the Government of Colombia and the ELN, and we look forward to the positive progress in the seventh round of peace talks between the two sides. We note that the ceasefire between the Government of Colombia and the EMC has encountered some setbacks, but the determination of the two parties to move forward with the peace talk remains unchanged. We also welcome the recent announcement by the Colombian Government on the launching of peace talks with other armed groups. We hope the parties in Colombia will demonstrate willingness and determination to engage in peaceful negotiation, reduce conflict and violence, create a favorable environment for dialogue and consultation, and further consolidate and expand the effective outcomes of such talks. 

Third, the security situation should be improved through concrete efforts in order to strengthen the confidence of all parties in peace. The Secretary-General’s report notes that violent crimes and armed conflicts persist in some parts of Colombia, threatening the security of the population and disrupting social activities. Some ex-combatants have been attacked repeatedly. A secure and stable environment is particularly important for enhancing the confidence of all sectors of the population in the process. We support the Government of Colombia in fully implementing the relevant security policies, continuing to increase its deployment of security forces in former conflict areas where effective control is absent, and strengthening the protection of women, children, ethnic minorities, and ex-combatants. 

SRSG Massieu and many Council members mentioned in their interventions the transitional justice process in Colombia. China attaches importance to the crucial role of promoting transitional justice in realizing justice and advancing peace and reconciliation. We hope the SJP will speed up its work and issue its first sentence at an early date. 

Madam President, 

China commends the significant work done by the Verification Mission in Colombia under the leadership of SRSG Massieu in terms of promoting the peace process in the country. We stand ready to continue to support the Mission and international and regional partners in providing support and assistance to the advancement of a Colombian-led, Colombian-owned peace process. 

I thank you, Madam President.