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A solider and a street trader in Bogata, Columbia
The fund, which will be managed by a tripartite steering committee, co-chaired by the Colombian government and the UN, will focus in particular on supporting conflict-affected areas in the lead up to and aftermath of possible peace agreements between the government and the country’s largest rebel group following almost 52 years of armed conflict.
The fund will be implemented by Colombian authorities at the national and local levels, civil society organisations, the private sector and UN agencies under a single strategy. Norway, Sweden and the UN’s Peacebuilding Fund have already committed contributions worth $8m.
Announcing the launch of the fund, post conflict minister Rafael Pardo said achieving sustainable and lasting peace will depend on the urgent action taken to bring its dividends to the most conflict-affected regions.
The UN and other donors will bring “strategic partnership and technical expertise, operational capacity and relationships with local authorities and communities in many parts of the country” towards this goal, Pardo added.
Priority projects include collective reparations programmes, de-mining, signage and education in mine-affected or at-risk municipalities, infrastructure improvements, job creation, food security and work to tackle gender violence.
The fund will also support initiatives to improve access to justice, local government capacity, the management of social conflicts and the promotion of education for peace, focusing on the most conflict-affected areas.
Fifty-two years of armed conflict in the country has killed more than 200,000 people and displaced more than 6 million. But peace negotiations are now underway between FARC-EP, Colombia’s largest rebel group, and the government.
