Despite the ongoing peace talks in Colombia with a variety of armed groups, and the increased efforts by the Gustavo Petro Government to implement the 2016 Peace Accord, armed violence, particularly in the border regions, is increasing. The civilian population continues to bear the brunt of the war and its humanitarian consequences. At present there are 8.3 million people in need of humanitarian assistance in the rural areas, especially in Guajira, Choco and along the whole of the Pacific Coast of Colombia.

Local populations are suffering from killings, hunger, displacement, confinement, forced recruitment of minors, control by illegal armed groups, gender-based violence, increased planting of anti-personnel landmines, and other forms of violence.

Population in need and severity of humanitarian needs ©OCHA

Armed groups are arriving in communities and controlling the lives of the population by imposing their rules and curfews. In addition, the coca growing and processing is being moved closer to communities and this, consequently, results in antipersonnel mines being planted closer to communities – frequently on paths used regularly by the communities to go to their cultivations.

Colombia is one of the most affected countries by anti-personnel landmines in the world, with more than 100 victims per year, 60% of them civilians. According to UNMAS (2023) more than 520,000 people, in 122 municipalities, are at risk of suffering a landmine accident or being confined or displaced by the presence of these devices.

According to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) between January and the end of June 2024, more than 120,000 people were forced to displace or have been confined in their territory. This has occurred at a time when funding for the OCHA is severely constrained, especially in regions like Choco which is disproportionately affected by this type of violence.

In addition to the conflict, over 1.2 million people have been impacted by the El Niño phenomenon which has generated wildfires and water shortages in most regions of the country, including cities. Indigenous and afro-Colombian communities particularly impacted.

There are grave concerns that there has been a lapse in the renewal of the bi-lateral ceasefire agreement between the Colombian Government and the ELN, and what this will mean in relation to increased violence in the rural areas and its impact on the ongoing conflict.

What is needed in this moment is:

• for the Colombian Government’s commitment to Seguridad Humana to be enacted to protect the rights of local populations who are suffering from the impacts of violence and organised crime carried out by the AGC., alongside the implementation of a humanitarian plan to address the impacts of climate change and conflict.
• International and Colombian organisations and the Church who are involved in humanitarian and human rights work to be supported financially to ensure that they are able to carry out their work in areas like Chocó and Guajira by the international community. Any reduction in budget at this moment in time would be severely detrimental.
• Governments at COP27 agreed to set up the Loss & Damage Fund to support countries suffering from the impacts of climate catastrophes like the ones that Colombia is experiencing. It is essential that this Loss & Damage Fund is supported by the International Community with new money from grants, rather than loans which will only exacerbate debt in countries disproportionately impacted by climate events