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Peace Deal in Colombia Should Inspire Warring Nations to Settle Conflicts - UN

© REUTERS / John VizcainoMarxist rebel leader Rodrigo Londono (R), better known by the nom de guerre Timochenko, signs an accord ending a half-century war that killed a quarter of a million people next to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (L), Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (2nd L) and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (partially obscured) in Cartagena, Colombia September 26, 2016.
Marxist rebel leader Rodrigo Londono (R), better known by the nom de guerre Timochenko, signs an accord ending a half-century war that killed a quarter of a million people next to United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (L), Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto (2nd L) and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos (partially obscured) in Cartagena, Colombia September 26, 2016. - Sputnik International
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UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed a ceasefire which has ended a half-century war between the Colombian government and FARC rebels.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Achieving peace in Colombia after 50 years of war in the country should be an example and inspiration to all the states trying to reach truce and has already become a lesson for peacemakers worldwide, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said.

"You had the vision to bring the victims to the forefront. What they have lost can never be restored. Yet victims have been among the most forceful voices for peace and reconciliation, and against bitterness and hatred. Their example should be an inspiration to all…. Peacemakers working in other parts of the world are already studying Colombia's peace process for lessons that can inform their efforts," Ban said at the signing of the Colombia peace agreements.

He also pledged to continue to help the government implement the peace agreements and normalize the situation in the war-shattered country.

"We will continue to offer our support to address the human rights and humanitarian challenges that persist. I am encouraged to know that there is already excellent collaboration among the Mission, the larger UN system in the country and our Colombian partners," Ban continued.

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas listen during a class on the peace process between the Colombian government and their force, at a camp in the Colombian mountains. (File) - Sputnik International
EU Suspends Sanctions Against FARC After Colombia Signs Peace Deal With Rebels
On Monday, the formal signing of a peace agreement between the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and the Colombian government took place in the Colombian city of Cartagena. The representatives of the European Union, the United Nations, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) attended the ceremony.

Colombia was mired in a half-century war between the FARC and the Colombian government, which has claimed lives of a quarter of a million people. The two parties began peace talks in November 2012.

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