H.E. Ms Patricia Cortés Ortiz:

A Chathaoirligh, a Theachtaí Dála, a Sheanadóirí. Go raibh maith agaibh.

I thank the committee for the invitation to discuss the implementation of the 2016 peace agreement in Colombia. I have met with some committee members before and we have always had a fluid and open conversation. I would like to avail of this opportunity to make a brief reference to our bilateral relationship, to the historic gesture of Colombia in receiving 1.8 million Venezuelan migrants and to update the committee on the most significant advances and challenges in the implementation of the agreement.

Both Colombia and Ireland opened embassies in the past three years. We have a rich agenda, focused on developing economic and social opportunities for our people and co-operation. Our relationship is based on our shared values such as the essential role of democracy, respect for human rights and the rule of law.

The political dialogue has been always permanent and open. President Higgins, visited Colombia in 2017. The former Colombian foreign Minister, Carlos Holmes Trujillo, who sadly passed away recently, paid a visit to Dublin in 2019 as the first Colombian foreign Minister to visit Ireland in the 20 years since the establishment of our diplomatic relations. He visited the Dáil and had a meeting with the committee.

Colombia sees Ireland as a partner that is aligned with the multilateralism scenario. We highly value Ireland's voice at the UN Security Council and the European Union, especially because Ireland understands the challenges and complexities of implementing a peace agreement. We are working on mutually beneficial economic opportunities, especially considering the need to reactivate our economies affected by Covid-19. Colombia has been greatly affected in this regard. We also are working on strengthening ties in education, innovation and science, among others.

I must highlight the key role that Irish investment has in Colombia. It includes companies such Smurfit Kappa, which has been in the country for more than 75 years, and Viva Air Colombia, owned by the Irelandia Aviation group, which is the second largest airline in Colombia. There are many others which have opened recently in the sustainable energy, infrastructure, forestry, fintech, aviation service and pharma sectors.

There is wide room to improve our opportunities. Visa flexibilisation from Ireland to Colombian citizens will unlock many possibilities to reinforce our people's ties and increase our exchanges in education, trade, investment and tourism. We hope there could be advances on this matter once the Covid-19 restrictions are reduced.

I want to briefly discuss the historic gesture by the Colombian Government regarding the Venezuelan migrant crisis. The massive exodus of Venezuelan migrants due to a multidimensional crisis in that country is the world's second largest refugee wave only after Syria. More than 5 million Venezuelans have fled their country in the past five years. It is unprecedented in Latin America and has regional and even global implications. Colombia hosts approximately 1.8 million migrants, almost 30% of Venezuelans leaving their country in the past five years. Last February, the Colombian Government announced the granting of a temporary protection status to Venezuelan migrants including those in irregular status, which comes to nearly 1 million. This historic step is widely recognised by the international community and organisations, such as the UNHCR, and other agencies. The status will grant them access to health, work, education and other public services. This reflects the Colombian Government's commitment to protecting human rights. We highly welcome the role of the international community through co-operation in this matter.

I will turn to peace implementation.

The Government of Colombia is fully committed to the 2016 peace agreement with the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, FARC, under the peace with legality policy. My Government has honoured the agreement and the results and measures taken have been recognised in every sphere, including the United Nations Security Council. The agreement is comprehensive, and covers topics on areas such as rural development, political participation, the end of the conflict, the problem of drugs, victims, implementation and verification. It is a transversal component of the current national development plan and it is incorporated into the Colombian constitution. It is estimated that implementation of the agreement will take at least 15 years, and we are in the fifth year of the process.

Ireland's support for the agreement and its implementation is fully recognised by all Colombians. I express my gratitude for the public support of President Higgins, the Taoiseach, Deputy Micheál Martin, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Deputy Coveney, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Irish ambassadors in Colombia and New York, the Houses of the Oireachtas, of course, and, in particular, this committee. We also recognise the role of Eamon Gilmore as the EU representative for the peace process in Colombia. Furthermore, we highly value the co-operation of the Irish Government in the implementation, through the UN and the EU, of the trust funds for peace and its sharing of lessons derived from its own experiences and challenges regarding the implementation of a peace agreement. It has taken Ireland more than 23 years to implement the Good Friday Agreement, GFA. Today, Irish authorities recognise that peace implementation is an ongoing process, especially in difficult areas such as truth, justice and reconciliation. The voice of the Irish Government regarding the required permanent commitment and recognition of the advances and challenges in the implementation process is of great importance to us.

I have the honour to be accompanied today by the presidential counsellor for stabilisation and consolidation, Mr. Emilio José Archila Peñalosa, the highest-ranked officer in charge of overseeing the agreement's implementation. He will share with the members of the committee the concrete results of the integral implementation of the agreement's focus on the victims, as well in the areas of integration, political participation, victims and gender, territorial development, truth systems, among others, and he will address some of the current challenges. Counsellor Archila visited Ireland and met with this committee in September 2019 and he has also headed the Colombian Government's delegation in the current national dialogue with the leaders of the recent social mobilisation protests in Colombia.

As I shared with the committee in my recent updates concerning those protests and the accompanying context, I reiterate that the Colombian Government protects and guarantees the constitutional right of citizens to protest peacefully. We condemn all types of violence impacting Colombians, without distinction as to its origin, including vandalism and blockades. I reiterate that my Government has zero tolerance for violations of any human rights and any excessive use of force. The corresponding authorities are investigating all alleged cases with full autonomy. We appreciate the support for the call made by President Duque for this meaningful dialogue and encourage the maintenance of a responsible and constructive approach. I will hand over the floor to Counsellor Archila now. I am sure we all appreciate him taking the time to address the members of the committee, especially given it is 6.30 a.m. in Colombia. The counsellor also has a press engagement at 7 a.m. or 7.30 a.m.