United Nations, January 22, 2025: While terming the Final Peace Agreement of 2016 as representing the collective desire of the Colombian people for peace and their aspiration for a better future, Pakistan has commended all stakeholders and parties to the Peace Agreement for their patience and perseverance in staying the course despite multiple challenges and setbacks. Delivering a statement during the UNSC briefing on Columbia, Ambassador Munir Akram, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, praised Colombian government’s efforts to speed up the implementation of the Peace Agreement, inter-alia, through a Rapid Response Plan (RRP). Noting the Colombian government’s policy of dialogue with various armed groups, Ambassador Akram called upon all armed groups to sincerely engage with the government to establish ceasefire at an early date, eschew all forms of violence, and recommit to the process of dialogue without preconditions. “Provision of justice to the victims of the conflict would go a long way towards ensuring sustainable and lasting peace,” he said. Pakistan congratulated Colombia for launching its first national action plan on women, peace and security. Ambassador Munir Akram said that the government’s emphasis on achieving comprehensive rural reforms is commendable and will help in alleviating poverty and improving the livelihoods of the common people and also help establish and expand state control in hitherto ungoverned areas. The Pakistan UN envoy expressed his concern on the continued violence against former combatants of FARC, social leaders, and human rights defenders. He said we remain particularly concerned about the targeting of Indigenous people, Afro-Colombians and the peasants by armed groups as well on the reports of sexual and gender-based violence against women and children and recruitment of children by armed groups. Ambassador Munir Akram further stated that peace embodies more than the mere absence of conflict; adding that it is about creating conditions that prevent the resurgence of violence by providing justice, ensuring safety, improving livelihoods and building a social and economic edifice that caters to the needs of all peoples, without any distinction or discrimination. He noted that Colombia has taken remarkable strides towards ending the conflict in the country and assured the Colombian government of Pakistan’s continued support for the realization of sustainable peace