"The Mission will be a political mission of unarmed international observers, responsible for the monitoring and verification of the laying down of arms, and a part of the tripartite mechanism that will monitor and verify the definitive bilateral ceasefire and cessation of hostilities," the resolution stated.
On January 19, the Colombian government and revolutionary forces have requested the UN Security Council to oversee an anticipated ceasefire and a disarmament of Colombia’s Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC).
The resolution was drafted by the United Kingdom, whose Permanent Representative Matthew Rycroft told reporters, "It is a commendable step forward from the government of Colombia and the FARC to voluntarily bring this issue to the United Nations. That’s a rare occurrence and one that we should welcome today."
On September 23, FARC and Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos signed a deal in Havana, Cuba, setting a schedule for the rebel forces’ full demobilization and disarmament.
Peace talks have continued since November 2012 despite continuing violence. The FARC rebel group was established in 1964 as the military wing of the country's Communist party. The military confrontation between FARC and the Colombian government was estimated to have killed over 200,000 people.
