RPP PROGRAM - QUARTERLY REPORT

The program's strategic objective is to contribute to the achievement of this goal through four result areas: Roll-out, Prevention, Reintegration, and Coordination and Communication. The RPR program's Roll-out result area focuses on providing strategic technical assistance to support the early reintegration efforts of the GOC during the demobilization roll-out phase. This includes support to national and/or international verification initiatives. The Prevention result area supports the GOC in implementing strategies for the prevention of recruitment of children and re-recruitment of adults and children in conflict-affected areas. This includes linking services of the Colombian Institute for Family Welfare (ICBF) and the Colombian Agency for Reintegration (ACR) to private sector initiatives in rural and urban areas. The Reintegration result area aims to support GOC efforts to advance legal processing and service delivery to ex-combatants and disengaged children in rural and urban conflict areas in a participatory, tailored, and community-focused manner. The Coordination and Communication result area supports GOC knowledge management, information systems, and communication efforts to clarify the judicial status of ex-combatants, with special emphasis on reintegration processes. During the first quarter of the program implementation period, October 2015 to December 2015, significant progress was achieved despite various uncertainties impacting RPR planning processes. Consultations were undertaken by the RPR team with all central government partners and over 40 stakeholders in the eight prioritized departments. This process fed into the development of the First Year Implementation Plan and the initial versions of Departmental Profiles. The RPR team presented the new program and gathered inputs from each partner on their perspectives on conflict dynamics, their priorities in the next year, and their identified needs for support and assistance. In Bogota, RPR met with the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of the Interior, and the Ministry of Justice and Law, among others. The RPR team also conducted a series of meetings with local authorities, civil society organizations, and community leaders to gather information and build relationships. The RPR program's progress was influenced by the ongoing peace negotiations between the GOC and the FARC. A preliminary transitional justice agreement was reached in September, and a joint communique was released on December 15 announcing final agreement on transitional justice and victims. Confidence-building measures were also announced by the Government and the FARC, including calls to halt arms purchases and military training, and a commitment to end the recruitment of minors under 18 years of age. The RPR program's activities during the first quarter focused on building relationships with stakeholders, gathering information, and developing the First Year Implementation Plan and Departmental Profiles. The program's progress was influenced by the ongoing peace negotiations and the need to adapt to changing circumstances. Despite challenges, the RPR program has made significant progress in its first quarter, laying the foundation for a solid program roll-out in the coming months.