Havana, March 31 (RHC) – The Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC-EP) closed the 22nd round of talks in Havana after reaching agreement on the issue of illegal drugs.

In a communiqué issued in Havana, the head of the rebel delegation, Ivan Marquez, said that the accords reached address the replacement of illegal crops by considering first the condition of farmers, indigenous and African-descent communities linked to such plantations.

A new policy must be considered since the global war on drugs has failed with devastating consequences for individuals and societies, according to a report by the United Nations, Marquez said and he considered that it is now time to change the world system prohibiting drugs and overcome old policies with new strategies based on science, health, security and the respect for human rights.

In order to achieve this, we need to implement sovereignty by thinking of real peace, social justice, he noted.

The communiqué issued by the rebels favors the setting up of a Truth Commission on the history of the Colombian armed conflict and a constituent and inclusive process that reaches a stable peace treaty for the country.