Colombia is a founding member of the United Nations organization. In 1945, the Colombian delegation made up by its leader, Alfonso Lopez Pumarejo, and Eduardo Zuleta Angel, Alberto González Fernandez, Jesus Maria Yepes and Silvio Villegas, whose signatures appear in the San Francisco Charter, played an important part in the deliberations and transcending issues in the conformation of the Organization.
The main objective of the organization is the maintenance of peace and international security.
Jesus Maria Yepes, on behalf of the Colombian delegation, became the author of Article 2 of the Charter, which safeguards the good faith principle in the compliance of treaties, thanks to his contributions. Likewise, Alberto Lleras Camargo took part in difficult negotiations for the inclusion of Articles 51 and 54, in which elements regarding legitimate individual and collective defense were stated, as well as the existence of agreements or regional agencies and the peaceful settlement of controversies of local nature within the regional agencies before submittal to the Security Council.
Once the San Francisco meeting was over, Eduardo Zuleta Angel was appointed President of the Preparatory Commission of the first General Assembly held in London. He had the honor of opening the First Assembly thanks to his position. He also took an active part in the appointment of New York as the city to host the organization on a definite basis.
Since November 5, 1945, Colombia has been part of the United Nations system after the San Francisco Charter was ratified.
In 1946, Colombia was chosen for the first time for a seat in the Security Council. At the Assembly, as well as at the Security Council, the then ambassador of Colombia to the UN, Alfonso Lopez Pumarejo, had a remarkable participation during the debates about the sanctions to Spain due to the Franco Regime, and the relations with Hitler and Mussolini during World War 2, which complicated the admission of the European country to the organization; the issue of the veto; racial discrimination in South Africa due to the apartheid; the Balkans conflict and the civil war in Greece; the independence of Indonesia; the conflict between India and Pakistan; the Palestinian issue and the creation of the State of Israel.
Colombia has been a non-permanent member of the Security Council on seven occasions 1947- 1948; 1953-1954; 1957-1958; 1969-1970; 1989-1990; 2001- 2002; 2011-2012.
For the period 2011 – 2012, our country was chosen as nonpermanent member of the Security Council in elections held in October 2010. Colombia was the only candidate for the Latin American and Caribbean region and obtained 186 votes in favor.
From the very beginning of its membership to the organization, Colombia has had a Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations as the head of our Mission. The Mission represents the Colombian government in the negotiations, making sure our interests and points of view are considered by the international community
For more information please visit the website of the Colombia Mission to the United Nations in New York at: http://www.colombiaun.org/ and the official website of the organization: http://www.un.org/es/
