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On Wednesday both the U.N. secretary-general and the U.N. Security Council officially congratulated Colombia on the adoption of the peace agreement with the FARC rebels, as Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos met with U.S. Vice-President Joe Biden on the “first day of peace.”
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In a statement issued on Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote that the ratification of the peace plan on Wednesday "constitutes a major milestone in the peace process that reaffirms the hopes shared by all Colombians for a future in peace and prosperity after decades of conflict."
Ban wrote that he hoped “all efforts will turn rapidly to the hard work of implementing the agreement, with a particular emphasis on ending violence and bringing the benefits of peace to the regions and to the vulnerable communities hit hardest by the conflict."
In a separate statement, the U.N. Security Council congratulated all those involved in reaching the historic peace agreement “in particular the Republic of Cuba and the Kingdom of Norway as guarantors, and the Republic of Chile and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela as accompanying countries.”
As Santos and Biden shook hands in front of cameras in the port city of Cartagena, Biden offered personal congratulations on behalf of U.S. President Barack Obama and said, “the whole world is shaking hands.”
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Perhaps unsurprisingly none of the statements offered any congratulations to the FARC-EP themselves or noted the key role played by FARC leader Timoleon Jimenez during negotiations.
Biden went on to note that when he had visited the country as a senator, “the country was a war zone.” Without irony, he also suggested that the U.S.-funded Plan Colombia had “succeeded”.
Plan Colombia was a multi-billion dollar counternarcotics and counterinsurgency military aid package launched by then U.S. President Bill Clinton which, in the hands of Colombian military and paramilitary forces, left more than 6 million victims, including thousands of murdered trade-union activists and half a million victims of sexual violence. Biden played a key role as a senator in promoting and funding Plan Colombia.
After Thursday’s one-on-one meeting, Biden and Santos dined with 70 business executives from both countries who will form the advisory council to Colombia and the U.S., a new bilateral body which will be formally inaugurated on Friday.
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That meeting comes as many speculate about the role and future of President Obama’s new “Paz Colombia” plan whereby the U.S. government plans to spend US$450 million in assistance to Colombia. Many worry that this plan could simply reinforce U.S. interests in the country and fuel ongoing right-wing paramilitary assaults on activists, while others still wonder if a Trump administration will even carry through with the plan.
The peace deal, which was unanimously approved by Colombia’s parliament on Wednesday, brings to an end the longest and bloodiest civil war in Latin America, which has left some 7 million people displaced, more than 260,000 dead, at least 79,000 disappeared and 30,000 kidnapped since 1958.
On Dec.10, Santos will accept the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts. FARC leader Timochenko was notably left out of any formal recognition for his role in the bilateral agreement.
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