PRESS RELEASE: President of the UN General Assembly to attend official signing ceremony of the Final Peace Agreement in Colombia

PRESS RELEASE

President of the UN General Assembly to attend official signing ceremony of the Final Peace Agreement in Colombia

Robust commitment to the process of ending the conflict and building a stable and long-lasting peace in Colombia

 

UNITED NATIONS, New York, 25 September 2016 — The President of the 71st session of the United Nations General Assembly, H.E. Peter Thomson, will travel to Colombia at the invitation of its Government to attend the official signing ceremony of the Final Peace Agreement that will be held on 26 September 2016, in Cartagena de Indias.

The historic event, which will be attended by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and other leaders, Heads of State and Government as well as other high-level authorities from around the world, brings an end to more than 50 years of conflict in the South American nation.

Since 2012, representatives of the Government of Colombia and members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) have engaged in talks hosted in Havana, Cuba. They have now reached agreements on key issues such as land rights, political participation, illicit drugs and victims’ rights and transitional justice, among others.

The presence of President Thomson in the event will be an opportunity to renew the valuable commitment of the UN General Assembly to the Colombian Peace Process. He will be accompanied by the Office of the President of the General Assembly’s Special Adviser on Political Issues, Ambassador Ioannis Vrailas, and by Senior Legal Adviser, Alejandro Sousa. Travel and accommodation expenses for the President and accompanying officers will be covered by the Office of the President of the UN General Assembly and in cooperation with the Government of Colombia.

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FOR MEDIA INQUIRIES PLEASE CONTACT:

Office of President of the UN General Assembly
Tomas Pico picot@un.org | Tel: +1 646 763 3709
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