               United Nations                                                                  S/RES/2261 (2016)
               Security Council                                                Distr.: General
                                                                               25 January 2016




               Resolution 2261 (2016)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 7609th meeting, on
               25 January 2016

                    The Security Council,
                    Underlining its full commitment to the Peace Process in the Republic of
               Colombia and its support for the “General Agreement to End the Conflict and
               Building a Stable and Lasting Peace”, signed in Havana, Cuba, on 26 August 2012,
               between the Government of Colombia and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of
               Colombia — People’s Army (FARC-EP),
                      Welcoming the progress in the negotiation process, the commitment of the
               Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP to reach a swift end to the armed
               conflict, and the confidence-building measures implemented in order to provide the
               first dividends of the peace process to the Colombian people,
                     Acknowledging the request made by the Government of Colombia, through the
               letter dated 19 January 2016 from the President of Colombia add ressed to the
               Secretary-General and the President of the Security Council of the United Nations
               (S/2016/53), which encloses the Joint Communiqué between the Government of
               Colombia and the FARC-EP,
                     Noting that the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP foresee that the
               Final Peace Agreement will include a tripartite mechanism to monitor and verify the
               definitive bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, and the laying down of
               arms; and recognising the contribution that a United Nations observer mission can
               make in the context of the tripartite mechanism,
                   Recognising further that the request made through the Government of
               Colombia refers to the participation of the United Nations as the international
               component of the above-mentioned tripartite mechanism for a limited period,
                   Recognising further the vital role played by the Republic of Cuba and the
               Kingdom of Norway as guarantors, and by the Republic of Chile and the Bolivarian
               Republic of Venezuela as accompanying countries of the Peace Process in
               Colombia,
                    Reaffirming the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,
               and reaffirming further the sovereignty, territorial integrity, political independence
               and unity of Colombia,


16-01017 (E)
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S/RES/2261 (2016)


                   Recognising Colombia’s ownership of the implementation of the Final Peace
               Agreement,
                     1.   Decides to establish a political mission to participate for a period of
               12 months, as the international component and coordinator of the above -mentioned
               tripartite mechanism (the Mission), headed by a special representative of the
               Secretary-General of the United Nations;
                     2.   Decides further that the Mission will be a political mission of unarmed
               international observers, responsible for the monitoring and verification of the laying
               down of arms, and a part of the tripartite mechanism that will monitor and verify the
               definitive bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, consistent with the Joint
               Communiqué, beginning all monitoring and verification activities, which will
               commence the 12 month period, following the signing of the Final Peace Agreement
               between the Government of Colombia and the FARC-EP;
                     3.   Requests the Secretary-General to initiate preparations now, including on
               the ground, and to present detailed recommendations to the Security Council for its
               consideration and approval regarding the size and operational aspects and mandate
               of the Mission, consistent with the Joint Communiqué, as soon as possible and then
               within 30 days of the signature of the ceasefire agreement by the Government of
               Colombia and the FARC-EP, in light of its provisions;
                    4.   Looks forward to the contributions of Member States of the Community
               of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) to the Mission;
                    5.    Further requests the Secretary-General, based on the reporting of the
               special representative to the Secretary-General, to report to the Security Council on
               the implementation of the Mission’s mandate every 90 days after the start of its
               monitoring and verification activities and on completion of the Mission;
                     6.   Expresses its willingness to consider extending the Mission upon the
               joint request of the Government of Colombia and the FARC -EP.




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