Colombia - IOM and USAID are backing an initiative of Colombia’s High Commissioner for Peace and the Ministry of the Interior – Network of Mayors and Governors for Peace.

The support consists of facilitating working groups and regional meetings between national government and local authorities to create fora for communication that allow them to exchange current information about progress achieved in Colombia’s peace process.

USAID and IOM are also supporting a communications strategy that facilitates and encourages Colombian citizens to make proposals to send to the ongoing peace negotiations in Havana, Cuba.

Colombia has endured an armed conflict for almost 50 years, pitting successive governments against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The conflict has left more than 220,000 people dead and has involved forced displacement, disappearances and other atrocities. Peace talks in Havana began in November 2012 and are underwritten by Venezuela, Chile and Norway.

“We must prepare ourselves for peace,” said High Commissioner for Peace Sergio Jaramillo Caro, speaking at the official presentation of the Network of Mayors and Governors for Peace initiative.

“The regions have been the scene of conflict for many years. That is why initiating this process is essential so that we can continue to work on raising awareness and promoting a peace culture,” said Cauca Governor Temístocles Ortega.

“The objective of this network is to coordinate the government’s vision with that of the regions, especially those that have been badly affected by the armed conflict. IOM views this approach as essential to achieving a lasting peace,” said IOM Colombia Chief of Mission Marcelo Pisani.

For more information, please contact

Jadin Vergara
IOM Colombia
Email: jvergara@iom.int
Tel: (571) 6397777 Ext. 1715