Security Council resolution 2694 (2023) [on expansion of the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia]
Symbol: S/RES/2694 (2023)
Date: 2023-08-02
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/78 [302] COLOMBIA--POLITICAL CONDITIONS
S/ X Identical letters dated 19 January 2016 from the Permanent Representative of Colombia to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council (S/2016/53).
Subjects: UN Verification Mission in Colombia|Ejército de Liberación Nacional (Colombia)|Final Agreement for Ending the Conflict and Building a Stable and Lasting Peace in Colombia (2016)|SPECIAL MISSIONS|PEACE AGREEMENTS|VERIFICATION|COLOMBIA
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ALBANIA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: ECUADOR
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: MALTA
vote: yes
country: MOZAMBIQUE
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SWITZERLAND
vote: yes
country: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                    S/RES/2694 (2023)
               Security Council                                                Distr.: General
                                                                               2 August 2023




               Resolution 2694 (2023)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 9391st meeting, on
               2 August 2023

                    The Security Council,
                   Reaffirming its full commitment to the peace process in the Republic of
               Colombia,
                    Recalling all its resolutions and Presidential and press statements regarding the
               peace process in Colombia,
                     Recalling in particular its resolution 2655 (2022) which renewed the mandate
               of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia until 31 October 2023,
                    Recalling the importance of continued implementation of the 2016 Final Peace
               Agreement, as set out in Resolution 2307 (2016), welcoming the Government of
               Colombia’s efforts to seek broader peace through dialogue and recognising that
               ceasefire agreements are a step towards the development of more comprehensive
               peace agreements,
                     Taking note of the 2 June 2023 letter from the Secretary-General (S/2023/406)
               which conveyed the request from the Government of the Republic of Colombia for
               the Council to consider tasking the Verification Mission to participate in the
               monitoring and verification of ceasefire arrangements between the Government of
               Colombia and the Ejército de Liberación Nacional (ELN), and of the 19 June 2023
               letter from the Secretary-General conveying the Bilateral, National and Temporary
               Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Colombia and the
               ELN (“Second Cuba Agreement”), and of the 19 July letter from the Secretary -
               General (S/2023/540) conveying the signed protocols of the ceasefire agreement
               between the Government of Colombia and the ELN,
                     Considering that the ceasefire between the Government of Colombia and the
               ELN should contribute to improving the humanitarian situation in conflict -affected
               areas, and encouraging the parties to continue strengthening the protection of
               civilians in accordance with international humanitarian law,
                    Noting that the Government of Colombia and the armed group that calls itself
               Estado Mayor Central (EMC) have initiated dialogue towards the construction of
               peace and the re-establishment of a ceasefire agreement,




23-15069 (E)
*2315069*

S/RES/2694 (2023)

                     Having considered the recommendations and proposals of the Secretary-General
               regarding options for the verification and monitoring of ceasefires set out in his letter
               of 13 June 2023 (S/2023/438),
                     1.   Decides that, in addition to the provisions of the Verification Mission’s
               existing mandate as set out in resolution 2655 (2022) and resolution 2673 (2023), the
               Verification Mission shall monitor and verify the implementation of the ceasefire as
               outlined in the Second Cuba Agreement between the Government of Colombia a nd
               the ELN and to that end authorises up to 68 additional international observers to the
               Mission’s existing complement, as well as an appropriate civilian component taking
               into account existing resources where possible;
                     2.   Expresses its willingness to consider mandating the Verification Mission
               to monitor and verify the implementation of a ceasefire agreement between the
               Government of Colombia and the armed group that calls itself EMC when the
               Secretary-General confirms a ceasefire including appropriate verification protocols
               has been reached, and taking into account an update from the Secretary-General on
               the progress of implementation of this resolution;
                     3.    Welcomes the Secretary-General’s proposal to incorporate reporting with
               respect to the additional tasks set out in this resolution within the same quarterly
               reporting cycle already established by resolution 2655 (2022) as well as the Secretary-General’s proposal to keep the Council abreast of the situation on the ground
               including the contribution of the ceasefire to the improvement of the humanitarian
               situation in conflict-affected areas, in accordance with the UN’s current mandate.




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