NASUWT partners Justice for Colombia (JFC) are celebrating an historic peace agreement between the Colombian government and the FARC.

JFC and the Parliamentary Friends of Colombia (PFC) have welcomed the historic announcement made on 24 August 2016.

JFC said: "This is an historic moment for Colombia and promises to put an end to the country's more than fifty year armed conflict. We congratulate both sides for the groundbreaking achievement and for the dedication of the negotiating teams to finalise the agreement.

"We congratulate the negotiators for reaching historic agreements on issues such as victims' rights and for the unprecedented inclusion of a gender perspective to ensure the agreement reflects the differential experiences of women and minorities in Colombia.

NASUWT has supported JFC in campaigning, alongside partners in the British and Irish parliaments and trade union movements, for over a decade for peace in Colombia.

JFC continued: "We have supported Colombian civil society in its struggle for a negotiated solution to the armed conflict, often in the face of opposition and violence.

"Since 2012 we have wholeheartedly supported and mobilised international support for the peace talks in Havana. JFC was named as a formal advisor to the negotiations, facilitating experience sharing.

"We recognise the international support of British and Irish politicians and trade unionists and pay tribute to the generosity and solidarity of all parties from Northern Ireland who shared their experiences of the Good Friday Agreement to strengthen the peace process in Colombia.

"We acknowledge that there is much work to be done to implement the agreements and create real and lasting peace in Colombia.

"We believe that this agreement is a profoundly important step towards resolving the causes of the conflict and creating a space for real democratic political participation in Colombia. JFC and PFC commit their full support to the peace process as it moves into the verification and implementation stages and to Colombian society in its quest for a country at peace."