YouSaid · the spoken record

Mejia Velez

lines on the record: 246
first: 2014-03-07
most recent: 2018-08-29
sittings or episodes: 42
sources: un-security-council

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“As the report ofthe Secretary-General's Advisory Group of Experts on the 2015 Review of the United Nations Peacebuilding Architecture states, it is necessary to have a more comprehensive approach to peace consolidation, one that avoids fragmentation and a silo mentality in the roles of the General Assembly and the Security Council and that takes into account the fact that not only are military and field operations part of the Council's responsibilities, but so are conflict prevention, recovery and rebuilding operations in post- conflict situations. Secondly, with respect to the resolution on the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly (General Assembly resolution 69/321), my country, along with many others, played a very active role in the negotiations on the draft.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539 (2015) · source
“First, one of the issues that has a direct impact on the work of the Security Council is naturally related to the enormous challenge of bringing about lasting peace in conflict areas or places that have just emerged from conflict, and although the Peacebuilding Commission - we havejust heard from its Chairperson, the Permanent Representative of Sweden - the Peacebuilding Fund, the Peacebuilding Support Office and other operational peacebuilding entities play a key role, the issue remains part of the Security Council's responsibilities.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539 (2015) · source
“Ms. Mejia Velez (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): I would like to thank Spain for convening today's open debate, which we realize is the result of great efforts by our Organization at this time when we are celebrating its seventieth anniversary. As the President's concept note (S/2015/793, annex) rightly states, although very significant progress has been made in the working methods of the Security Council, there is room for more improvement and for better implementation, which will help to boost the effectiveness of the Council's decisions and to provide greater coordination with other organs of the United Nations. As the representative of Angola noted earlier, the Council's work lies at the heart of the work of the Organization. 1 would like to discuss two points that Colombia considers worthy of highlighting.”
2015-10-20 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7539 (2015) · source
“President - with the goal of strengthening the rule of law, good governance and the level of safety and welfare of the Haitian people.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“Any decisions on MINUSTAH should be based exclusively on the conditions on the ground, and only after the strategic assessment mission that the Secretary-General will soon put together has made its recommendations. I reiterate that we must at all costs safeguard the gains achieved, and, in line with the report, we think that, before we take any action, the new Government should have a reasonable period to consolidate stability. In conclusion, I want to reiterate Colombia's support for the invaluable work of MINUSTAH, which seeks to ensure the sustainable well-being of the Haitian people. That is why my country is in favour of a one-year extension of MINUSTAH's mandate at the same military and police level - as you said, Mr.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“Our contribution includes institutional advice, operational support, prevention through checkpoints, training in police academies, investigations by the judiciary police and community outreach. We intend to continue training a group of female Haitian police officers in Colombia. I would also like to inform the Council that in accordance withthe commitmentmadebyPresidentJuan Manuel Santos Calderon on 28 September, Colombia will expand its support to MINUSTAH, as Ms. Honore said, with another 58 police officers accredited by the United Nations. In that regard, I would like to thank the Canadian Government for sending us instructors to provide accelerated training for those officers. There are still many challenges ahead, however, as the Secretary-General's report (S/2015/667) indicates.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“The important work done by the Provisional Electoral Council and the Haitian National Police deserves special mention, and we are sure they will also perform well during the presidential election and the second round of legislative elections, which will take place very soon. We acknowledge the progress that Haiti has made in such areas as security, reducing violence, relocating people in the camps - where a lot of progress has been made e and economic growth, among others, but, as others have said, the challenges to development remain huge and the international community must continue its support. In addition to organizing bilateral cooperation programmes in the areas of agriculture and infrastructure, Colombia has assisted Haiti by contributing police to MINUSTAH.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“Achieving security, stability and better conditions for the Haitian people, as well as strengthening its democracy's institutional capacities, must continue to be a priority of the international community's commitment to Haiti. We were pleased with the results of the first round of legislative elections on 9 August, since despite some violent outbreaks, reflected in a somewhat low turnout - which we hope will improve in the second round - we can acknowledge the Government of Haiti's commitment and effort in stabilizing its democratic institutions and holding the elections.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“Ms. Mejia Velez (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): Since this is the first time I have taken the floor of the Council under your presidency, Sir, I would like to congratulate you and your country and wish you a successful month. I would like to heartily thank Ms. Sandra Honore, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for her detailed briefing and her ongoing commitment, to which we can testify first- hand. Colombia associates itself with the statement to be delivered by the Ambassador of Uruguay on behalf of the Group of Friends of Haiti. As others have before me, I would like to express our condolences to the Government and people of Brazil and the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) on the death of General Jose' Luiz Jaborandy, Jr., who worked so tirelessly and with such dedication at the helm of MINUSTAH.”
2015-10-08 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7530 (2015) · source
“I am sure with the definition of a new post- 2015 sustainable development agenda, and with the opportunity to adopt a legally binding agreement at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Paris Conference to be held in December, as well as the special session of the General Assembly on the world drug problem, to be held here in New York in April 2016, as mentioned by the Prime Minister of Jamaica and the Ambassador of the United Kingdom, we shall forge ahead in building more prosperous societies while tackling the drivers of insecurity for all States of the world, but especially for the small island developing States.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“Colombia has fallen victim to this phenomenon and therefore understands the extreme circumstances facing neighbouring SIDS, as so rightly stated in your concept note (S/2015/543, annex), Mr. President, in which you say that: "Tackling climate change is not, on its own, sufficient to eliminate all the challenges that small island developing States are facing, but failure to act on climate change will undoubtedly make their future less secure." This, of course, will threaten the stability of our region and of the entire planet. That is why the Security Council must play a role in the cases of conflict that are already on its agenda, which can only be exacerbated by the effects of climate change, specifically through humanitarian protection measures.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“Perhaps one of the most effective mechanisms has been the creation and strengthening of strategic alliances, in partnership with countries such as Canada and the United States, that have enabled us to develop triangular and South-South cooperative relationships, as others have also mentioned, in order to create safer societies in the countries of the Caribbean. Secondly, I would like to refer to the threat posed by climate change. Disasters caused by extreme natural phenomena linked to climate change have the potential to devastate Caribbean States and therefore the economic stability and security of our entire region. A single tropical storm can destroy the infrastructure of an entire country and retard gross domestic product growth for several years, thus significantly disrupting its development growth and the region's development path.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“It is in that spirit of cooperation that we are now able to announce that, in September in Cartagena de Indias, we will be hosting a third Caribbean seminar on combating drugs, with representatives from 16 countries. We have also signed cooperation agreements with 14 countries in the region aimed at strengthening national capacities at the operational level that will enable us to work together, with better tools, in order to tackle potential threats to our security and that of our citizens.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“Colombia, perhaps unlike any other nation in our region, has been dealing for decades with transnational organized crime, at an enormous cost in lives and resources. In that struggle, however, we have learned lessons that have enabled us to design a comprehensive international strategy for security cooperation that we have shared in particular with our Caribbean neighbours through advice, technical assistance, education and training on anti-narcotics intelligence in order to fight transnational organized crime, as well as in helping to combat the global drug problem, which, as we have heard today, has had tragic effects on SIDS, particularly our neighbours in the region.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“Ms. Mejia Velez (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): I would like to join those who have preceded me in congratulating the New Zealand presidency on convening today's open debate, which is clear evidence, based on what we have heard, of its timeliness and of the severity of the problems facing small island developing States (SIDS). For my country, this group of 52 States and territories - 23 of which are in the Caribbean Sea region, to which Colombia, with a coastline more than 1,600 kilometres long, also belongs - are very important and in urgent need of solutions to their problems. Of the challenges that were discussed so eloquently by the Minister of Finance of Seychelles and the Prime Ministers of Jamaica and Samoa, I will focus on two that are particularly significant for Colombia: transnational organized crime and climate change.”
2015-07-30 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7499 (2015) · source
“We have made significant progress in protecting our children and ensuring their rights. We will continue working with full determination and conviction to that end. Dialogue and cooperation are undoubtedly the best tools available to the United Nations for working with States. I therefore reiterate that the Colombian State is completely prepared to continue to make progress in this area within a respectful relationship based on accuracy and objectivity. I would also reiterate to you, Mr. President, our determination to work for the good of the children of Colombia and the whole world.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“I said, "[m]y task is to build up a harmonious and stable relationship of mutual respect with the [United Nations] system through which it can be possible to improve conditions on the ground, so that Colombia is never again included in the Secretary-General's report on this issue." (S/PV. 7259, pp. 31-32) Colombia and my delegation have done everything possible to achieve that goal. We have opened all channels of communication: we have promoted meetings with all relevant authorities; we have approached the Office of the Special Representative with openness: and, in that spirit, we would respectfully ask the Special Representative to take full account of the substantive considerations of the Colombian State reflected in the current report, which we hope to see corrected in the final draft.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“First, Colombia had a great number of displaced persons, but the country has made every effort to deal with the problem and its impact on our children. Furthermore, I would point out that during the period under review in the report, our country reported a noteworthy reduction of 47 per cent in the phenomenon of internally displaced persons. That reduction has not been referred to in the report. Secondly, in 2014, the Intersectoral Commission for the Prevention of Recruitment, which involves 27 State agencies, implemented urgent prevention and protection measures, given the risk of the recruitment of girls and boys in more than 200 municipalities in Colombia. In September 2014, I addressed the Council on that very issue.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Challenged by enormous difficulties, we have taken brave steps in the peace negotiations, because we see that as the best way to restore the rights of all persons affected by the armed conflict - especially our children. Less than a year ago, in August 2014, I was here at the United Nations for the official presentation of the Secretary General's Guidance Note on reparations for conflict-related sexual violence (see S/2014/181), in which Colombia was held up as a paradigm for the efforts that it has implemented. In the Note, the implementation of our historic law regarding Victims was recognized as an effort without precedent in the context of armed conflicts elsewhere in the world. Those developments complement the public policies implemented by the Colombian Government. I would like to mention just two examples.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Moreover, we have made progress on three out of the five items on the agenda of the peace talks, and have subsequently improved the living conditions of the civilian population. As the Special Representative mentioned, the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia announced that they would remove children younger than 15 years of age from their ranks. That is why my country is deeply perplexed by our country's portrayal in the Secretary- General's report. It does not reflect the present situation, nor the progress achieved. The terms used to describe the situation in Colombia in 2014 cannot be the same as those that would have applied in 1999.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“In this difficult global context, Colombia, which is not on the Security Council's list, is, however, mentioned in the report, as a result of the prolonged internal conflict, lasting over five decades, which has affected our development and our civilian population, particularly the most vulnerable segment of it - our children. Three years ago, President Juan Manuel Santos and the entire nation courageously sought a negotiated end to the conflict, the sole one in the Americas. That enabled the Government to implement pioneering legislation at the international level, reflected in the Law on Victims and Land Restitution and the joint agreement on clearing anti-personnel mines.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Mrs. Mejia Velez (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): I would like to thank you, Madam President, and your country for holding this important debate. I would also like to thank the Special Representative of the Secretary-General, the representative of UNICEF, and Ms. Eunice Apio for her testimony. In March, we met here in the Council to discuss the serious human-rights violations affecting children (see S/PV.7414), and the enormous concern over the worsening situation in many parts of the world was palpable. Today, four months later, despite the efforts and involvement of the international community, we see in the Secretary-General's report (S/2015/409) that the situation in that regard is referred to as unprecedented. That shows us how great the present challenge is.”
2015-06-18 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7466 (2015) · source
“Censorship, therefore, is not the answer. Youth themselves need to take ownership of the discourse on democracy and diversity and they themselves must stand as critics of the manipulative attempts of those who advocate violence. We in Colombia are, unfortunately, all too familiar with the effects that Violence and terrorism can have on the lives of young people who, day by day, are seeking to forge the future of our country. For that reason, we are convinced of the need to grant the highest priority to creating living standards that will allow future generations to build fair and just societies and to live together in peace and freedom.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“We cannot lose sight of the fact that both education and work are human rights and that closing the gender gap at all levels of education must be a priority in order to empower youth, improve their living conditions and free them from the adverse impact of violent extremism. New technologies have proved to have negative effects that must be urgently addressed. Proponents of Violence have been adept at identifying innovative ways of befriending and exploiting young people, and, as an international community, we have been lagging far behind in terms of finding an appropriate response to this phenomenon. As we seek solution strategies, it is vital that actions aimed at responding to this scourge be adopted with full respect for freedom of expression, religion and association, and the right to privacy.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“We therefore need to promote values such as solidarity, respect, tolerance, acceptance of diversity and respect for the rule of law, because an inclusive, open society that is able to meet to meet the aspirations of youth is vital not only to tackling the conditions that promote radicalization and violent extremism, but also to ensuring that we can achieve our aspirations as democratic societies. Including young people in the labour market is without a doubt one of the elements that is pivotal to the full development of their own aspirations as individuals. In 2013, the number of unemployed youth, according to the International Labour Organization, soared to 73 million. We cannot continue to make progress in the search for prevention mechanisms without addressing that reality.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“It is Vital that we take balanced measures that respond to all of the aspects of the complex phenomenon of violent extremist. Nonetheless, it is also important to recognize that neither poverty nor underdevelopment is the cause per se of such phenomena, as some have said. As history has taught us, terrorism and extremism affect very diverse societies with disparate levels of development and varying social-inclusion conditions. For that reason, it is not just counterproductive but also mendacious to stereotype terrorism, radicalization and violent extremism among youth as being uniquely a problem of underdeveloped societies.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Violent extremism and radicalization constitute today one ofthe most pressing threats to peace, stability and development, as indicated in the excellent concept paper (S/2015/231, annex) circulated by Jordan, because it is this generation of young people, the largest such generation in history, that is the target of the strategies of terrorist organizations, which take advantage of their needs and their dissatisfaction to expand their networks of violence and further their criminal activities. Colombia reiterates its willingness to work together with the rest of the international community on strategies aimed at preventing the involvement of young people in violent activities of any kind, as well as to engage in initiatives aimed at promoting the empowerment, education and participation of youth.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“I wish here to reiterate to what extent terrorism is a threat and wish to make it clear that no excuse, situation or condition canjustify acts of terrorism. At the same time, I would like to stress, as all of the members of the Security Council have done on numerous occasions, that any measures adopted to tackle the scourge of terrorism must be enacted with full respect for the rule of law and implemented in strict compliance with international human rights standards.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Ms. Mejia Velez (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): I should like at the outset, Mr. President, to extend my gratitude to His Royal Highness and to your country for having convened today's debate. This issue is of particular relevance against the backdrop of today's world and makes it very clear how closely linked emerging challenges to international peace and security are to the needs of one of the most vulnerable population groups, perhaps the most vulnerable population group, and also one that has the greatest potential for our future as humankind, that is, youth. I should also like to thank the Secretary-General for the statement he made this morning, which also provides guidelines on how to address this terrible problem.”
2015-04-23 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7432 (2015) · source
“Concerning the peace process that is under way in Havana, I would like to assure the Council that the parties have understood that this is a cross-cutting issue that will be reflected in the peace agreement and in future post-conflict policies.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“In the past few years, my country has developed and implemented actions that have had an immediate impact on the protection and promotion of the rights of women, of which I will mention just a few - a monitoring mechanism through a national violence observatory for monitoring various types of sexual violence; an information system that enables us to identify potentially vulnerable populations; an early-warning monitoring system for detecting possible cases and a single registry of Victims that enables us to identify men, boys and members of minority groups, as well as women and girls, who have also been Victims of such crimes. We support Spain's proposal to play an active role, perhaps at the highest level, in commemorating the fifteenth anniversary of resolution 1325 (2000), in October.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“The second area is our endorsement of the State's commitment to Victims, supporting them so that from the judicial point of View they cannot be subject to re-victimization or fear impunity for the perpetrators. As Ms. Bangura said eloquently in her press conference yesterday, the survivors of these violent acts want to be heard. They are ready to stand up and get on with their lives, and the Colombian Government will be there to support them.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“The challenge lies in effective implementation, and with that commitment, we have developed initiatives on zero tolerance and prevention, and on the care and protection of women who are victims of sexual violence, based on collectively formulated policies that elicit best practices and lessons learned that we can now share with other States dealing with similar challenges. I would like to point out that Colombia's strategy is founded on two key areas - first, legislatively, through two laws, the first of which, enacted in 2008, provides standards for raising awareness of, preventing and punishing every form of violence and discrimination against women, while the second, enacted last year, incorporates international standards into the area of conflict-related sexual violence.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Although it has been under very different circumstances, my country, too, has been affected by this phenomenon, the result of an internal conflict that has afflicted us for more than half a century, despite the fact that we are on the way to reaching a negotiated solution. As Ms. Bangura saw at first hand on her visit to Colombia, we are still facing enormous challenges, but in that raw and painful confrontation we have learned lessons and taken preventive measures that have been described as pioneering at the international level.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“Ms. Mejia Velez (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): I would like to thank you and your country, Madam President, for bringing us together in this open debate. As many have said before me, it could not have been held on a more significant date than the anniversary of Boko Haram's abduction of girls, and I would like to express our solidarity with the people of Nigeria at this difficult time. I would also like to thank Ms. Zainab Bangura for the enormous effort she has put into her work on this issue, and to Ms. Hamsatu Allamin for her words this morning. Colombia is also grateful to Spain, Chile and the United Kingdom for their recognition of my Government's commitment to acting to address this serious problem.”
2015-04-15 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7428 (2015) · source
“We should therefore identify the areas we must work on with States where such acts have occurred in order to make progress with investigations, ensure that the situation will continue to be monitored and that we will work to build societies that are inclusive and that respect diversity, and in which the rights of all citizens are respected and guaranteed without discrimination. Finally, we cannot forget that in the short term there is an urgent need for response to the dire humanitarian situation. Millions of refugees and displaced persons need help, and while the international community's response has been generous, the magnitude of the situation requires a sustained, flexible and timely commitment.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“We have seen acts and deeds that we did not imagine were possible in the twenty-first century, and we wonder how well prepared we are to combat them. The Secretary-General and the High Commissioner have made specific proposals that deserve our consideration and analysis. We are concerned by the fact that we seem unable to respond together. We must put aside the divisions that create obstacles to the international community's ability to take concrete action together. Consistency between discussion and action is crucial to responding to barbarism, and we must show ourselves capable of overcoming our differences, since terrorists can exploit them to their advantage. The basis of our action should be ensuring that the legitimate interests of the various sectors of the population are served.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“They are just a few of the examples that indicate the existence of repeated attempts to exterminate ethnic and religious minorities and groups, which, as the High Commissioner said, could constitute genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes. As many have said before me, we cannot resort to facile categorizations or identify a particular religion or culture with violent extremism, terrorism or genocide. These are unacceptable acts on the part of individuals and groups, not cultures or religions per se. We must consider the effectiveness of the mechanisms we have to combat these situations of human barbarity, and we must recognize that we are dealing with an enemy that shocks us with its lack of boundaries.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“The case of Boko Haram is another manifestation of this serious problem, and we firmly condemn that terrorist group's abduction of women and children and its murder of thousands of innocent people. As the reports of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and its investigative mission on human rights in Syria show, Violence and the persecution of minorities and ethnic or religious groups are one of the manifestations of ISIL's recurring Violations of human rights, such as the beheading of Coptic Christians in Libya, the persecution, murder and forced displacement of Yazidis in Iraq and the abduction of hundreds of Assyrian Christians in Syria.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“The seriousness of the violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the areas affected by the presence of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and the groups associated with it require us to speak with one voice and commit to protecting the values and principles shared by humankind. The people and Government of Colombia offer their sincere condolences to the families and Governments of the Victims of this terrorist group. There were Colombian nationals among the Victims of the recent attack on the Bardo Museum in Tunis, so we share the pain of those who have suffered at the hands of terrorist groups. Their murder shows that terrorism affects us all.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Ms. Mejia Velez (Colombia) (spoke in Spanish): I wish to thank you, Mr. President, and your country for convening this important debate. We listened closely to the statements made this morning by the Secretary- General, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and His Beatitude and to the moving words of parliamentarian Dahkil. Colombia would like to join its voice with those of many previous speakers today, for in the face of barbaric acts that show complete disregard for the values of the human condition we cannot be silent.”
2015-03-27 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7419 (2015) · source
“Even today, when we live in a world where conflict dynamics have changed, illegal armed groups still constitute the bulk of the armed groups that threaten the legitimacy of the State and that of its citizens. In our View, the role of States to bear the primary responsibility is indisputable, but we must not lose sight of the specific contexts, nature and modus operandi of the armed groups outside the law, as well as the strategies that States implement to achieve solutions to the grave situations that affect them. In conclusion, all those points serve to bring to the fore the fact that the support of the international community will be essential, given that we are immersed in in the most important undertaking in 50 years: to build peace.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“The FARC has begun to take steps in the direction that Colombian society and the international community demand, as expressed by the Special Representative of the Secretary-General. In the past month, the FARC announced its decision to cease its recruitment of children under 17 years. That is a significant development, but it is insufficient if we consider that the FARC is responsible for 66 per cent of the victims of child recruitment in our country - almost 3,000 children. We hope that step will be expanded to cover all minors under the age of 18. As part of the commemoration of the tenth anniversary of resolution 1612 (2015), Colombia believes this is the right time to review whether the measures requested of States, such as the action plans, have the same result when attempting to implement such measures for non-State actors.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Fifthly and finally, the Government established a multi-sectoral commission in which 23 different State agencies work in tandem. Thanks to that, between 2002 and 2014, we have been able to recover 4,067 minors who had been recruited by the illegal armed groups, both from the FARC and the Ejercito de Liberacion Nacional. As I have mentioned, Colombia is working diligently to resolve the internal armed conflict with the FARC. We are continuing negotiations on an overall agreement on ending the conflict and building stable and lasting peace. That agreement is being negotiated in Havana, with the support of the United Nations and a large part of the international community and with Cuba and Norway acting as guarantors and Chile and Venezuela as supporters.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“I would like to share five key points that demonstrate that commitment: First, the 1991 Constitution of Colombia guarantees in its spirit that the rights of children take precedence over all other rights. Secondly, Colombia ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the year 1992 and expanded the definition of a child from under 15 to under 18 years of age. Thirdly, for almost two decades now, the ranks of the armed forces of Colombia do not include minors under the age of 18. Fourthly, the Colombian Ministry for Foreign Affairs has implemented a comprehensive programme for children and adolescents aimed at preventing forced recruitment by creating gateways to promote educational, cultural and sporting activities.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Unfortunately, my country has not been an exception, because we must recognize that for more than five decades ofinternal conflict, minors have been victims of forced recruitment and abuse by non-State armed groups. However, today there is a glimmer of hope to end this phenomenon, because we have been holding peace talks, which are currently under way in Havana between the national Government and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC). The commemoration of the tenth anniversary of resolution 1612 (2005) provides a good opportunity to reiterate the commitment of the Colombian State to the protection of all victims, particularly children.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Ms. Mejia Velez (Colombia) (spoke in French): I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for having organized this debate of great importance to us. (spoke in Spanish) I would also like to thank the Secretary-General and his Special Representative, Ms. Leila Zerrougui, as well as the representatives of UNICEF and all the non-governmental organizations for the testimonies we have heard here. The importance ofthis debate, organized by France, is evident from having heard the moving statements of the speakers who have preceded me, which illustrate the turbulent times in which we live and that affects the most vulnerable segments of the population, including children, as pointed out by France in its concept note (S/2015/168, annex). The year 2014 was the worst year for children.”
2015-03-25 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7414 (2015) · source
“Colombia is a State party to most international instruments to combat terrorism and believes that their full implementation is a sine qua non for achieving the goals we have set for ourselves as an international community. However, our actions will not be entirely successful if we lack a comprehensive convention on international terrorism, since it is through such an instrument that we will be able to complement other existing instruments, resolve remaining gaps and strengthen the international legally binding framework to combat this crime. The Council can always rely on my country's support.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“One of Colombia's biggest concerns is the diversion of arms to non-State armed groups and its harmful impact on the global fight against terrorism. The arms from the trade in and illicit transfer of weapons not only have negative impacts on the human rights of populations, exacerbate conflicts and undermine the stability and security of States, but have a significant connection with terrorism. In that regard, as has also been stated here, the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty represented an important step forward. Its entry into force this December will be important for all of us, and its full implementation will contribute to the activities aimed at preventing and eliminating terrorism.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source
“In considering that question, Colombia believes it is important to be clear on the fact that the kidnapping victim also faces the imminent risk of losing their life, in addition to having lost, at least temporarily, their freedom. Their right to life and freedom are internationally recognized values and rights that must be respected and protected. Therefore, in dealing with kidnapping, the State and the international community should take measures that do not make criminals out of the victim or those trying to defend them. Based on that firm commitment, we must develop and strengthen national laws and institutions relating to financial information and intelligence, the establishment of effective mechanisms for information sharing and the development of effective and efficient border controls.”
2014-11-19 · UN Security Council · Security Council, S/PV.7316 (2014) · source