Colombia: Pockets of insecurity challenge ‘vibrant democracy’, Security Council told

Colombia: Pockets of insecurity challenge ‘vibrant democracy’, Security Council told
As Colombia awaits the inauguration of its newly elected president, pockets of insecurity remain a challenge for a nation that has overcome decades of conflict, the head of the UN verification team there told the Security Council on Wednesday.
“The high voter turnout on 21 June is a sign of the strong desire of Colombians to make their voices heard within a vibrant democracy,” said Miroslav Jenča, the UN chief’s Special Representative for Colombia and head of the UN Verification Mission, which monitors the 2016 Peace Agreement that ended deadly clashes between the Government and FARC-EP rebel group.
Voting in both rounds was conducted in “a peaceful and orderly fashion”, with security forces deployed to protect the process while national and international election observers provided independent oversight, he said, noting that this will be the third administration elected since the signing of the historic 2016 agreement.
Security vacuums
Security was among the chief concerns of the Colombian electorate, Mr. Jenča said, presenting the Secretary-General’s quarterly report on the latest developments in Colombia.
“The areas where violence is most acute today are precisely those where implementation of the agreement and presence of State institutions has been insufficient,” he explained.
Indeed, ongoing violence between armed groups and criminal organizations for control over strategic routes and illicit economies is enabled by longstanding security, governance and development vacuums, he added.
‘Holistic’ solutions
Mr. Jenča also drew attention to “intense” debate about the impact of recent peace-making initiatives with armed groups, given limited results and concerns that the groups took advantage to further expand their reach in various regions.
At the same time, security challenges in the regions still affected by conflict have deep and multifaceted roots.
“Overcoming them will require holistic solutions that are precisely those called for under the Peace Agreement of 2016,” he said.
Supporting Colombia
The Security Council authorised the creation of a UN Verification Mission in 2017 Colombia to oversee the accord’s implementation.
However, the Council narrowed the scope of the mission’s mandate in October 2025, even as that year saw the attempted assassination and later passing of one of Colombia’s presidential candidates.
Still, the country held largely peaceful elections in March and June 2026.
Colombia also receives support from UN agencies and through peacebuilding entities.
Read our explainer on the UN Peacebuilding Fund here.