New York (VNA) – The UN Security Council held anin-person meeting on Colombia on July 14 during which Vietnam reaffirmed itssupport for the implementation of the peace deal in the South American nation.

Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative ofthe UN Secretary-General for Colombia and head of the UN VerificationMission in the country, commended relevant parties for their joint workwithin the National Reintegration Council and within the tripartite mechanismon transition to legality.

He voiced his belief that the constructivedialogue between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia(FARC) will soon lead to agreements to continue promoting the realisation ofthe Peace Agreement.

However, he also expressed concern about theviolence and killing of social leaders and former combatants of indigenous andAfro-Colombian origin, urging the Colombian government and relevant parties totake measures to ensure security for communities and foster the leadership offemale former combatants in social, economic and political reintegration.

Massieu also appealed to all concerned to followthe Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire to halt violence andfacilitate response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Clemencia Carabalí Rodallega, arepresentative of the Municipal Association of Women in the country’s CaucaDepartment, also voiced her concern over the violence, attack and killing ofsocial leaders, ex-fighters and especially, women and children while condemningillegal armed groups’ expansion of areas under their control.

She asked the UN and the international communityto actively support peace-building in Colombia and urged the government toincrease measures for protecting women and children and investigate and bringculprits to justice.

At the meeting, members of the UN SecurityCouncil recognised efforts and measures to curb COVID-19 and carry out thePeace Agreement in Colombia.

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, head of Vietnam’spermanent mission to the UN, expressed sympathy over difficulties in theimplementation of the Peace Agreement, as well as impacts of COVID-19.

He showed his support for the Colombiangovernment and parliament’s efforts in discussing bills and constitutionalreforms. 

He also expressed concerns about the violenceand killing of ex-fighters and social leaders, calling on relevant parties tocomply with the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire and take allnecessary measures to protect civilians, particularly women and children, inconflict-hit areas.

Quy highlighted strides in the reintegration offormer combatants via individual and collective socio-economic developmentprogrammes and projects.

He proposed the National Reintegration Council,together with the UN and regional and international organisations, activelyprovide financial assistance mechanisms and suggest appropriate initiatives tohelp ex-fighters settle down soon.

The UN Verification Mission inColombia was established in July 2017 for a period of three years, renewable ifnecessary. It is tasked with supervising the implementation of the Final PeaceAgreement between the Colombian Government and FARC in 2016. Since 2017, the UNSecurity Council has held meetings every three months to listen to reports onthe mission’s activities./.