Colombia: Politics and Government

(asked on 7th May 2019) - View Source

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment his Department has made of the refusal of the Colombian President Ivan Duque to sign the Statutory Law on the Special Jurisdiction for Peace on the political situation in that country; and if he will make a statement.


Answered by
Alan Duncan Portrait
Alan Duncan
This question was answered on 15th May 2019

The Colombian people elected President Duque in 2018 with a mandate to implement the 2016 peace agreement and make certain changes to it. President Duque's recent objections to six articles of the law governing the Special Jurisdiction for Peace are consistent with his election campaign and with the powers of the presidency. However, the UK believes that the delay risks undermining the system's authority and reducing cooperation with the the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia . We believe that the Transitional justice law must be approved swiftly to ensure continued confidence in the peace process. On 11 March, our Ambassador for Colombia informed President Duque of the UK position. On 9 May, the Minister for the Commonwealth and the UN, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon reiterated this point when he met with Colombian High Counsellor for Stabilisation, Emilio Archila.

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