We welcome the agreement reached between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on mutual ceasefire and laying down the arms on 23 July 2016 aimed at putting an end to five decades of armed conflict, which claimed the lives of more than 220,000 people and resulted in the displacement of 5 million people.

The mutual ceasefire and laying down the arms, constitutes a critical phase before the final peace agreement planned to be signed in the upcoming period and is an essential step to establish a lasting peace and stability in Colombia and across the region.

Turkey contributes to the peace process through the Organization of American States (OAS) and participates in the Mission to Support the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP) with a diplomat. Moreover, pursuant to the cooperation between Turkey and Colombia, we welcome the initiation by the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) of the construction of a primary school in Orejon, a region of Colombia considerably damaged by the conflict, as a timely development.

Turkey will continue its support for Colombia, with which our cooperation has been rapidly improving in all fields, in the forthcoming period as well.