Colombian president to meet Northern Ireland peacemakers on visit to Britain

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos is to travel to Northern Ireland to meet peacemakers during his first state visit to Britain, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) announced Sunday.

His country has been embroiled in one of the world's longest civil wars which started in the 1960s.

The president begins his state visit on Tuesday as an official guest of Queen Elizabeth.

The FCO said in a statement Sunday that the Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh will formally welcome President Santos at the Royal Pavilion on Horse Guards Parade. Also present will be Prime Minister Theresa May, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

On Wednesday, May will host the president at 10 Downing Street for a working lunch, and the president will also attend events at Mansion House, the Natural History Museum and the London School of Economics.

Johnson will take the President on a private tour of the Cabinet War Rooms.

To mark the visit the London Eye will be lit up in yellow, blue and red, the colors of the Colombian flag, on the evenings of Tuesday and Wednesday.

The president, who has been leading Colombia's peace process, will travel to Belfast on Thursday to hear first-hand about Northern Ireland's experience of peace-building, and the benefits that peace and political progress has brought for community relations and efforts to build a stronger economy.

Johnson said: "We are delighted to welcome President Santos to the UK. Britain works hand-in-hand with Colombia on the world stage whenever the occasion demands."

Johnson added: "Colombia holds huge potential for British investors in areas ranging from health care to transport, defence and energy, and I hope that the State Visit will help to open up these opportunities."

A spokesman for the FCO said: "Colombia is emerging from the longest-running internal conflict in the Western hemisphere. The UK has played a central role in supporting Colombia's peace process. Peace will benefit not only Colombia and the surrounding region, but will create opportunities to further expand the bilateral relationship between Colombia and the UK."

President Santos recently received the Nobel Peace Prize, recognizing his continued efforts to secure peace. Endit