Historic agreement on final peace deal in Colombia

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna SolbergNorwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB scanpix

The Colombian government and the FARC announced today that they have come to agreement on a final peace accord.

The accord concludes more than four years of negotiations. The armed conflict, which has persisted for five decades, has claimed more than 220,000 lives and produced millions of internally displaced refugees.
‘This is a triumph for the people of Colombia, and I congratulate the parties,’ said Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg.
More than 50 years of armed conflict with immense human suffering for the country’s population is thus coming to an end. The final agreement will be signed at a formal ceremony in Colombia and a referendum will be held.
Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge Brende said: ‘The peace agreement aims to resolve many of the fundamental challenges that initially led to the conflict by facilitating wider political participation, access to land and alternatives to coca production.’ Norway will continue to assist the parties in the implementation of the agreement, he added.
Norway has been involved for decades in peace and reconciliation efforts in Colombia, and together with Cuba it facilitated the negotiations in Havana.
The peace talks commenced formally in Oslo, in October 2012.
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Acuerdo final de paz en Colombia
El Gobierno de Colombia y las FARC-EP anunciaron hoy que han llegado a un acuerdo final de paz. El acuerdo concluye después de cuatro años de negociaciones.
Felicito a las dos partes por este paso valiente, indica la Primera Ministra de Noruega Erna Solberg.
Se están terminando más de 50 años de conflicto armado, un conflicto que ha causado gran sufrimiento para el pueblo de Colombia.
Noruega continuará apoyando a las partes en la implementación del acuerdo, subraya el canciller de Noruega Børge Brende.
Noruega ha estado involucrada en Colombia en los esfuerzos de paz y reconciliación durante décadas, y ha sido, junto a Cuba, país garante en las negociaciones en la Habana, iniciadas formalmente en Oslo en octubre de 2012.

 

Source: government.no / Norway Today