Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has been awarded this year’s Nobel Peace Prize. Santos was honored for his efforts to end the 52-year conflict with the country’s largest rebel group, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, despite the deal being narrowly rejected by a poorly attended referendum.

Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos delivers a speach in Cartagena de Indias on Sept. 2, 2016. [Photo: Xinhua/COLPRENSA]

The Norwegian Nobel Committee says the rejection of the peace accord does not necessarily mean the peace process has failed. 

Santos said he received the Nobel prize in the name of the Colombian people. He said he remains committed to achieving peace and that the ceasefire would remain in place.