I thank Her Excellency Minister Sarabia.

Germany commends the continued efforts of the Colombian Government and the High Contracting Parties to advance peace in Colombia. Let me reaffirm our strong support for your peacebuilding priorities in the implementation of the peace agreement.

Germany believes Colombia’s peace process is a global example of conflict resolution through negotiation. We have a long-standing commitment to Colombia’s peace efforts. Our support is comprehensive.

We see the implementation of the 2016 agreement and the current negotiations as complementary and mutually reinforcing, as two sides of the same coin. Let me highlight just three examples:
1. Germany contributed around 42 Mio US Dollars in the Multi-Partner Trust Fund for the implementation of the Peace Agreement since 2016.
2. Alongside with European partners we support the political dialogues in the framework of the Government’s Total Peace strategy.
3. Since 2017, the German-Colombian Peace Institute CAPAZ has successfully linked academic research and policy advice in support of peace consolidation.

We commend the Government’s action plan to speed up the peace process. The implementation of the Peace Agreement must not be delayed or deprioritized. We call on all actors to remain committed and focused on delivering peace dividends—especially to those communities most affected by the conflict.

Germany’s engagement with Colombia’s peace process has among its priorities the transitional justice mechanism that was created by the Peace Agreement. We implement bilateral projects with various partners to provide scientific advice and to foster access for historically marginalized victim groups to the Special Jurisdiction for Peace as well as to facilitate cooperation between the public forces, the special justice system and the Unit for the Search of Persons (UBPD). In this regard, I would like to stress the importance of protecting the work of the Special Jurisdiction for Peace. Undermining its independence or delaying its results would jeopardize victims’ rights and damage the credibility of the broader peace framework.

Finally, I would like to emphasize that the effective protection of civil society must be at the heart of all implementation efforts. Security guarantees and credible protection mechanisms are essential to building trust and preventing further violence. We are deeply concerned about the increasing risks faced by civil society organizations, particularly those working in rural areas and in defense of human rights.

Germany remains a committed partner to Colombia on its path to peace. We stand ready to continue supporting inclusive implementation of the Peace Agreement—for the benefit of all Colombians.