Colombia's President Gustavo Petro visited FBA
Pre-meeting between Colombia's President Gustavo Petro and FBA's Director General Per Olsson Fridh. Photo: Rodrigo Paras
The significance of inclusion in peace processes and consideration of individuals' security needs were highlighted when President Gustavo Petro Urrego visited FBA on June 14.
The president was the keynote speaker at an event with 150 participants, including a large proportion of civil society representatives and Swedish Colombians. FBA's Director General Per Olsson Fridh and the Rector of the Swedish Defence University, Robert Egnell, also gave speeches based on their respective institutions' expertise and roles.
The president's delegation included Colombia's foreign minister, peace commissioner, and representatives from the government and business sectors. The president also had a pre-meeting with FBA's Director General Per Olsson Fridh and Sida's Director General Jakob Granit during the visit.
– President Petro's commitment to peace, dialogue, and inclusion is admirable and reinforces the image of Colombia as a success story in peace work. His choice to visit FBA is a recognition of our work in the country. It is also gratifying that we could host President Petro with the presence and participation of the Swedish Defence University, Sida, and Swedish civil society organizations. Sweden demonstrated a cohesive and integrated support for peace in Colombia, says Per Olsson Fridh.
President Petro's policy for peace is encapsulated in the slogan "Paz Total" (total peace) and has a strong focus on parallel dialogues with Colombia's various armed groups and societal participation in these processes. For example, in 2022, the government resumed negotiations with the largest remaining guerrilla group, ELN.
Sweden has been supporting Colombia's peace efforts for over 20 years. In the peace negotiations with ELN, Sweden acts as an accompanying country, and FBA plays an active supportive role together with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Swedish Embassy in Colombia, and Sida.
Sweden and FBA also support the long-term implementation of the 2016 peace agreement with FARC. FBA assists Colombian institutions in areas such as gender equality, human security, and the reintegration of former combatants, even in conflict-affected regions.
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