European leaders have given a warm welcome to the definitive peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC guerillas announced in Havana during the night of Wednesday 24 to Thursday 25 August.
"It is an historic and unique opportunity for peace in Colombia, which follows a long negotiation requiring great political will and perseverance", said High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, who spoke to Colombia's President Juan Manuel Santos on the phone.
The peace agreement, which is due to be officially signed by the parties in September and put to the vote of the Colombian people in a referendum in early October, provides for the FARC definitively laying down their weapons and for the movement's progressive transformation into a political force.
One of the most controversial elements of the agreement involves the amnesty which should be allowed for the fighters reintegrating into civilian life. Although the victims of the conflict will be able to obtain repair through an ad hoc jurisdiction, the fighters will not go to prison when they have confessed their crimes but will have to do labour in the general interest as restitution.
Former Colombian president Alvaro Uribe is leading the campaign of those opposed to the peace agreement, which they deem too indulgent with regard to the atrocities carried out by the FARC.
"It is now for the Colombian people to decide on their own future through the plebiscite", Mogherini stated. Despite the "many challenges" that lie ahead in the implementation of the agreement, she added that the deal should pave the way for "lasting peace" in the country and "bring truth and reparation to the victims".
The Colombian civil conflict has gone on for 52 years and claimed over 220,000 lives. It has resulted in the disappearance of 45,000 people and the relocation of over 6 million others.
Back from Bogota where he met Santos and the opponents of the peace process, European Parliament President Martin Schulz spoke of the humbling experience of being in Colombia only a few hours before the peace agreement was signed. "Everyone felt that a new page of a fresh chapter in Colombia’s history is being written", he said. In Schulz's view, the peace will enable rights and education "to reach peoples and regions which have so far been cut off from Colombia’s economic and social development".
The European Unioin has mobilised €575 million to support the peace effort in Colombia, including €90 million from the specially created trust fund (EUROPE 11560). This fund will be activated when the agreement is signed officially and will be equipped as follows: five countries (Spain, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden) will contribute up to €3 million each, Portugal will contribute up to €200,000, Slovakia up to €20,000 and Lithuania up to €12,000; the Commission will allocate €70 million under the Development Cooperation Instrument, plus €2 million from the humanitarian aid and civil protection budget (DG ECHO). Other member states are expected to announce their contribution to the fund.
Mogherini signalled that the EU and Colombian government were already preparing new projects, especially including peace education. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)