UNSC expands Verification Mission to monitor ceasefire with ELN rebel group in Colombia

Anjali Sharma

GG News Bureau

UNITED NATIONS, 3rd Aug. UN Security Council on Wednesday unanimously voted to expand the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia to monitor a ceasefire between the Government and the ELN rebel group.

According to media reports, the truce with the ELN, the National Liberation Army, comes into effect on Thursday and will last for 180 days.

The development follows 10 months of negotiations and is part of the “total peace” policy of President Gustavo Petro, who took office last August, UN mission stated.

The Council members unanimously adopted a resolution that authorizes up to 68 additional international observers at the UN Mission “as well as an appropriate civilian component taking into account existing resources where possible”.

Mission was established after the signing of a 2016 Peace Agreement between the Colombian authorities and leaders from the country’s largest rebel group, FARC, which ended more than five decades of war.

The ELN and EMC were not part of the accord.

Council reaffirmed its full commitment to the peace process in Colombia.

It expressed willingness to consider mandating the UN Mission to monitor a ceasefire with EMC “when the Secretary-General confirms a ceasefire including appropriate verification protocols has been reached”.