Colombia hails UN help in assisting displaced persons, fighting drug trade

The President of Colombia today lauded help the country has received from the United Nations in combating drug trafficking, promoting labour rights and assisting displaced persons.

Addressing the annual high-level debate of the General Assembly, Alvaro Uribe said the fight against impunity for killings of union workers is being carried out under guidelines from the UN International Labour Organization (ILO) in agreement between the Government, workers and employers. “The reports on the progress made, submitted by the ILO office in Colombia, have been positive,” he said.

President Uribe said the UN Office against Drugs and Crime has helped to protect the rainforest from the threat of drug trafficking, while the ILO carries out “excellent work” in its workers’ protection programme.

“We have extended the mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to maintain its presence in Colombia for the remainder of my Government’s term in office,” said the President. “Also different UN entities provide valuable support in the task of assisting displaced people.”

Describing the country’s security policy, he said it had succeeded in eradicating paramilitarism. “The term ‘paramilitary’ was coined to refer to private criminal organizations whose objective was to combat guerrillas,” he said.

“Today the only one that combats the guerrillas is the State, which has recovered the monopoly it never should have lost.”