Colombia must strengthen rule of law, state presence in areas hit by violence -UN

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Volker Turk speaks before he signs the subscription to the headquarters agreement in Bogota, Colombia January 25, 2023. REUTERS/Luisa Gonzalez

BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombia must strengthen the rule of law and the state's presence to tackle violence in areas affected by the country's internal armed conflict, Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said on Wednesday.

Turk spoke in capital Bogota after visiting members of the Andean country's government, including President Gustavo Petro, and praised the leftist leader's pledge to implement total peace throughout the country.