Media Center

Photonews


Secretary General and President Santos Agree to Expand and Strengthen the Work of the OAS in the Peace Process in Colombia

  February 4, 2016

Secretary General and President Santos Agree to Expand and Strengthen the Work of the OAS in the Peace Process in Colombia
Photo: OAS

The President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, and the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, today reaffirmed the ties that link, for now more than two decades, the hemispheric organization to the Peace Process in Colombia, and agreed on the need to expand and strengthen the OAS role in this process.

President Santos underscored particularly the work of the OAS Mission to Support the Peace Process (MAPP/OAS) that has been working for 14 years in the field, with almost 50 officials in 15 regional offices who, among other tasks, have accompanied more than 70,000 victims in the Justice and Peace process. “The role that the OAS can play in this process is very important to us, in particular on topics related to the process we are currently going through in Colombia. The MAPP/OAS is already fulfilling a very important role in the field as it has been advising and supporting us, so we can make the right decisions in compliance with all the agreements we are reaching,” asserted the Colombian President.

For his part, the Secretary General reiterated the unwavering support of the Organization to the peace process led by the Colombian government. “We believe that the efforts being carried out by the government of President Santos are on the right track, because after more than half-century conflict, Colombians have the right to live in peace and to reap the rewards of that peace. Giving peace a chance in Colombia is a moral imperative, and the success of the process will have a crucial impact for the Americas,” said the leader of the hemispheric institution.

Reference: FNE-18934