Colombia has reached an 'important juncture' in advancing peace after decades of war, but efforts to sustain the current momentum must be redoubled, the head of a UN mission in the country told the Security Council on Tuesday.

'However difficult and demanding of patience, Colombia's decision to prioritise dialogue as a principal means to resolve conflict sets the country apart as a model that is more relevant than ever in today's world,' said Carlos Ruiz Massieu, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative and head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia.