UN independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council have called on Colombia's state-owned oil company Ecopetrol to provide reparations to victims of armed conflict, welcoming a ruling issued on 14 October 2026 by Colombia's Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP). The decision, which falls under the JEP's Macro-Case 08, recognises the responsibility of several state agents and a director of Ecopetrol for involvement in serious human rights violations, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed during the armed conflict in Barrancabermeja, Colombia's oil capital.
"The JEP's decision represents a significant step forward for truth, justice and accountability regarding the impacts of corporate activities in conflict-affected contexts," the experts said, adding that it "opens an unprecedented opportunity to place victims at the centre of reparation and restoration efforts."
The experts welcomed the cooperation Ecopetrol provided during the proceedings and urged the company to deepen that commitment through concrete actions. They called on Ecopetrol to engage in good faith with victims and their representative organisations, adopting a restorative approach that identifies the harms suffered, the expectations for reparation, and the measures needed to restore the rights violated. "Victims should not be mere observers of the reparation processes, they must be active participants in their design and implementation," the experts stated.
Invoking the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, the experts underlined that companies bear a responsibility to respect human rights and to participate in redressing the negative impacts they have caused or contributed to.
The experts also highlighted the role of the Colombian State as Ecopetrol's majority shareholder. "When it comes to State-owned enterprises, business responsibilities to respect human rights converge with the State's duty to protect such rights," they noted, urging Colombian authorities to ensure the company participates fully in efforts toward truth, justice, reparations, and guarantees of non-repetition.
In addition, the experts reiterated the call by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights for sufficient funding of Colombia's comprehensive peace system, which includes the JEP and the Unit for the Search for Missing Persons. They expressed readiness to support both the Colombian government and Ecopetrol in strengthening corporate accountability within the framework of transitional justice.
This article is based on a primary source and has undergone editorial review prior to publication.
