Acuerdo 4: Declaraciones y comunicaciones conjuntas

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Country/entity: Colombia
Region: Americas
Agreement name: Acuerdo 4: Declaraciones y comunicaciones conjuntas
Date: 24 Nov 2022
Agreement status: Multiparty signed/agreed
Interim arrangement: Yes
Agreement/conflict level: Intrastate/intrastate conflict
Colombian Conflict (1964 - )
The Colombian conflict is really a set of conflicts and the peace agreements reflect both different processes relating to different conflict groups and dyads, and processes taking place at different times in a complex peace process history. The Colombian civil war has its roots in the late 1940s and the violent infighting between liberal and the conservative factions. Emerging from the liberal tradition with a thorough grounding in nationalist communist ideology, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People's Army (FARC) began its armed insurrection against the Colombian government in 1964. Other left-wing guerrillas emerged as well, most notably the socialist/populist M-19, which would later be integrated into the formal political system in the peace process of 1990s; the National Liberation Army (ELN), which has strong roots in liberation theology, and the Maoist Ejército Popular de Liberación (EPL) (also part of the 1990 process, less successfully). Several stages of peace processes were undertaken by the various sides, which were further complicated by the emergence of right-wing paramilitary ‘self-defence’ forces. The peace agreement between the Colombian government under President Uribe and the main alliance of the paramilitary groups, the United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia (AUC), concluded in 2005 and is still heavily disputed as several remnants are still active, but now subsumed under the heading ‘Bacrim’ (Bandas criminales). In addition, FARC and ELN maintain a military presence, but both demonstrate a strong interest in completing successful peace negotiations with the government, with the most recent agreements being between FARC and the Government.
Stage: Pre-negotiation/process
Conflict nature: Government/territory
Peace process: Colombia VII - Petro Peace Dialogues with ELN
Parties: Delegation of the ELN (Ejército de Liberación Nacional)

Delegation of the National Government of Colombia
Third parties: -
Description: This protocol agreement establishes guidelines for coordinated communication management between the ELN and the Colombian National Government during their peace dialogue. The agreement outlines 14 operational guidelines covering joint communiqués, press conferences, media access, social media coordination, and evaluation procedures to ensure transparent and consistent public communication about the peace process. It builds upon a previous agreement on pedagogy and communication for peace signed on 5 June 2017.

Agreement document: CO_221124_Acuerdo_4_Declaraciones_y_comunicaciones_conjuntas_EN (opens in new tab) | Download PDF
Agreement document (original language): CO_221124_Acuerdo 4 Declaraciones y comunicaciones conjuntas (opens in new tab)| Download PDF
Source of document: https://www.consejeriacomisionadadepaz.gov.co/dialogos-eln/Documents/Acuerdo%204.pdf

Groups

Children/youth: No specific mention.
Disabled persons: No specific mention.
Elderly/age: No specific mention.
Migrant workers: No specific mention.
Racial/ethnic/national group: No specific mention.
Religious groups: No specific mention.
Indigenous people: No specific mention.
Other groups: No specific mention.
Refugees/displaced persons: No specific mention.
Social class: No specific mention.

Gender

Women, girls and gender: No specific mention.
Men and boys: No specific mention.
LGBTI: No specific mention.
Family: No specific mention.

State definition

Nature of state (general): No specific mention.
State configuration: No specific mention.
Self determination: No specific mention.
Referendum: No specific mention.
State symbols: No specific mention.
Independence/secession: No specific mention.
Accession/unification: No specific mention.
Border delimitation: No specific mention.
Cross-border provision: No specific mention.

Governance

Political institutions (new or reformed): No specific mention.
Elections: No specific mention.
Electoral commission: No specific mention.
Political parties reform: No specific mention.
Civil society: No specific mention.
Traditional/religious leaders: No specific mention.
Public administration: No specific mention.
Constitution: No specific mention.

Power sharing

Political power sharing: No specific mention.
Territorial power sharing: No specific mention.
Economic power sharing: No specific mention.
Military power sharing: No specific mention.

Human rights and equality

Human rights/RoL general: No specific mention.
Bill of rights/similar: No specific mention.
Treaty incorporation: No specific mention.
Civil and political rights: No specific mention.
Socio-economic rights: No specific mention.

Rights related issues

Citizenship: No specific mention.
Democracy: No specific mention.
Detention procedures: No specific mention.
Media and communication: Rights related issues→Media and communication→Media logistics
Basic Guidelines:
1. For communication activities, each delegation shall appoint a person responsible for coordinating the activity.
2. Communication activities shall be scheduled sufficiently in advance, preferably one day beforehand.
The means of dissemination to be used will be agreed, such as joint communiqués and statements via social media, website publications, provision of images, press conferences, among others.
The corresponding staging and logistics will also be arranged, including the time of release of the material.
The content shall be published simultaneously through the institutional media of each delegation.
The dissemination of public materials and content (statements, communiqués, protocols, among others) produced by the Roundtable shall be broad and inclusive.
3. Press calls shall be made in accordance with the progress of the Roundtable.
4. Should any events arise requiring an immediate statement, a swift and timely declaration shall be issued, agreed upon by the heads of each delegation.
The communications team shall prepare a draft document, which will be reviewed and approved by the heads of both delegations prior to publication.
If consensus on the content of the statement is not possible, each head may issue their own position without negatively affecting the progress of the process.
5. The statements and other communication activities of each delegation must be consistent with the criteria of the Agenda and the Roundtable.
...
This includes media access to the venue of the activity.
7. Through the communications team, the delegations shall coordinate the details of the media call, in coordination with the host country.
...
9. Once the joint communication activities have concluded, the delegations may, if they so wish, give interviews or additional statements at a site other than the hall where the Dialogue Roundtable is in session.
...
11. Unilateral communication activities undertaken at the venue of the talks shall take place in different spaces.
The entry and presence of journalists shall be monitored by the host country within the designated area and alongside the relevant delegation.
Rights related issues→Media and communication→Other
Basic Guidelines:
...
13. Every humanitarian action and dynamic must be accompanied by a strategic plan of pedagogy and communication for peace, which shall be directed by the communications team of the Roundtable.
Mobility/access: No specific mention.
Protection measures: No specific mention.
Other: No specific mention.

Rights institutions

NHRI: No specific mention.
Regional or international human rights institutions: No specific mention.

Justice sector reform

Criminal justice and emergency law: No specific mention.
State of emergency provisions: No specific mention.
Judiciary and courts: No specific mention.
Prisons and detention: No specific mention.
Traditional Laws: No specific mention.

Socio-economic reconstruction

Development or socio-economic reconstruction: No specific mention.
National economic plan: No specific mention.
Natural resources: No specific mention.
International funds: No specific mention.
Business: No specific mention.
Taxation: No specific mention.
Banks: No specific mention.

Land, property and environment

Land reform/rights: No specific mention.
Pastoralist/nomadism rights: No specific mention.
Cultural heritage: No specific mention.
Environment: No specific mention.
Water or riparian rights or access: No specific mention.

Security sector

Security Guarantees: No specific mention.
Ceasefire: No specific mention.
Police: No specific mention.
Armed forces: No specific mention.
DDR: No specific mention.
Intelligence services: No specific mention.
Parastatal/rebel and opposition group forces: No specific mention.
Withdrawal of foreign forces: No specific mention.
Corruption: No specific mention.
Crime/organised crime: No specific mention.
Drugs: No specific mention.
Terrorism: No specific mention.

Transitional justice

Transitional justice general: No specific mention.
Amnesty/pardon: No specific mention.
Courts: No specific mention.
Mechanism: No specific mention.
Prisoner release: No specific mention.
Vetting: No specific mention.
Victims: No specific mention.
Missing persons: No specific mention.
Reparations: No specific mention.
Reconciliation: No specific mention.

Implementation

UN signatory: No specific mention.
Other international signatory: No specific mention.
Referendum for agreement: No specific mention.
International mission/force/similar: No specific mention.
Enforcement mechanism: No specific mention.

Agreement No.

Joint Statements and Communications

PROTOCOL FOR JOINT STATEMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS

Giving continuity to the agreement on pedagogy and communication for peace signed by the delegations of the ELN and the National Government on 5 June 2017, this Dialogue Roundtable sets out, in paragraph 3 as a function:

“3. Create the protocols for joint statements and communications.”

The following new protocols are therefore agreed for the coordinated management of communications.

The purpose of joint communications is to inform the public of the objectives, progress and outcomes of the talks as the dialogue agenda unfolds and always strengthen the Roundtable and its achievements.

To formalise the Roundtable’s agreements, these will be made public through joint communiqués and statements, which shall be read out by a representative of the guarantor countries.

Basic Guidelines:

1. For communication activities, each delegation shall appoint a person responsible for coordinating the activity.

2. Communication activities shall be scheduled sufficiently in advance, preferably one day beforehand.

The means of dissemination to be used will be agreed, such as joint communiqués and statements via social media, website publications, provision of images, press conferences, among others.

The corresponding staging and logistics will also be arranged, including the time of release of the material.

The content shall be published simultaneously through the institutional media of each delegation.

The dissemination of public materials and content (statements, communiqués, protocols, among others) produced by the Roundtable shall be broad and inclusive.

3. Press calls shall be made in accordance with the progress of the Roundtable.

4. Should any events arise requiring an immediate statement, a swift and timely declaration shall be issued, agreed upon by the heads of each delegation.

The communications team shall prepare a draft document, which will be reviewed and approved by the heads of both delegations prior to publication.

If consensus on the content of the statement is not possible, each head may issue their own position without negatively affecting the progress of the process.

5. The statements and other communication activities of each delegation must be consistent with the criteria of the Agenda and the Roundtable.

6. Once agreed between the parties, the communication activity (the minute-by-minute schedule, the script for the master of ceremonies, and the logistics in general) shall be coordinated with the host country.

This includes media access to the venue of the activity.

7. Through the communications team, the delegations shall coordinate the details of the media call, in coordination with the host country.

8. The timing and duration of photo and video recording of the plenary sessions shall be previously agreed and authorised in line with the relevant activity.

9. Once the joint communication activities have concluded, the delegations may, if they so wish, give interviews or additional statements at a site other than the hall where the Dialogue Roundtable is in session.

10. The communication activities of each delegation shall take into account that, in their implementation, they must contribute to a positive atmosphere and to an understanding of the process itself.

11. Unilateral communication activities undertaken at the venue of the talks shall take place in different spaces.

The entry and presence of journalists shall be monitored by the host country within the designated area and alongside the relevant delegation.

12. A visual identity for the Dialogue Roundtable shall be designed.

13. Every humanitarian action and dynamic must be accompanied by a strategic plan of pedagogy and communication for peace, which shall be directed by the communications team of the Roundtable.

14. There shall be an evaluation every three weeks of the results of the communications team, or at the end of each cycle.

This evaluation shall provide the necessary elements to improve the functioning of the team and the Roundtable and will also consider new contributions to enrich this protocol.

Caracas, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, 24 November 2022.