Speaking at the UN Security Council in New York on 23 January 2026, the UK’s Chargé d’Affaires, Ambassador James Kariuki, urged comprehensive delivery of Colombia’s 2016 Final Peace Agreement and commended UN efforts supporting implementation. (gov.uk)
London encouraged the Colombian Government to use the remainder of its term to consolidate institutions able to sustain the Agreement’s commitments, pointing in particular to the Commission for the Follow‑up, Promotion, and Verification of the Final Peace Agreement, which convenes the high contracting parties to address implementation issues. Recent government updates indicate the CSIVI remains active and resourced. (gov.uk)
The statement reaffirmed UK support for the Agreement as a whole, with emphasis on the transitional justice provisions and the Ethnic Chapter. It underscored the need for restorative justice and accountability that reflect the disproportionate impact of conflict on Afro‑Colombian and indigenous communities. (gov.uk)
Kariuki called for rapid agreement on a new mechanism to verify compliance with sanctions imposed by the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). This follows the Security Council’s 31 October 2025 decision to renew the UN Verification Mission while removing its roles in verifying JEP restorative sanctions and monitoring the Ethnic Chapter. (securitycouncilreport.org)
With the UN mission no longer tasked to verify those sanctions, responsibility shifts back to arrangements agreed by the parties. The CSIVI is the forum expected to broker and oversee such adjustments alongside national institutions and international accompanists already engaged in implementation. (securitycouncilreport.org)
The UK said respect for JEP sentences is essential to public confidence in the transitional justice system and, by extension, the peace architecture. It urged timely agreement on verification that is seen as credible by victims and communities. (gov.uk)
Looking ahead to Colombia’s 2026 electoral calendar, the UK warned of heightened risks of violence and intimidation, urging reinforced security guarantees to ensure a safe and inclusive process as envisaged in the Final Agreement. It noted that 487 former combatants have been killed since 2016 and called for stronger protection for signatories, civil society and other civilians. (gov.uk)
The statement closed by reaffirming the UK’s readiness to support Colombia’s path to lasting peace and to work with Bogotá at the Council over the next two years. (gov.uk)
For policy practitioners, the immediate practical question is verification design: with UN verification of JEP sanctions discontinued, the parties need a domestic and internationally accompanied mechanism that can track compliance, report publicly and avoid duplication with existing oversight. Recent CSIVI sessions and funding commitments suggest a vehicle through which to agree such architecture and metrics. (securitycouncilreport.org)
In parallel, Security Council briefings on Colombia will remain a pressure point. Members have signalled continued support for full implementation despite differences over the UN mission’s scope; the Council’s next discussions will gauge progress on security guarantees and the robustness of any new sanctions‑verification arrangement. (securitycouncilreport.org)