Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus, Colin Stewart, will brief the UN Security Council on Monday for the last time before retiring in August.
Stewart is said to brief the UN Security Council on the reports concerning the UNSG’s good offices and the peacekeeping force on the island (UNFICYP). The briefing comes just two days before the scheduled multilateral meeting in New York with the participation of the two leaders and the UNSG.
Speaking last month after visiting President Nikos Christodoulides, Stewart had stated that he had a good meeting and was scheduled to see the Turkish Cypriot leader to inform them on his last briefing of the SC before his departure from the island in August.
He had also said he will return to the island for separate farewell meetings before retiring in August.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkey invaded and occupied its northern third. Repeated rounds of UN-led peace talks have so far failed to yield results due to Turkish intransigence. The latest round of negotiations, in July 2017 at the Swiss resort of Crans-Montana ended inconclusively.
UN Secretary General announced that an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format will be held this month, following a similar meeting in Geneva, on March 17-18. The two sides agreed to proceed with a number of initiatives, involving the opening of crossing points, the creation of a Technical Committee on Youth and other initiatives in the buffer zone and throughout the island. The meeting is taking place on July 16-17.
The UN Secretary-General announced in early May the appointment of María Angela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus, who is tasked to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him. Holguín completed a previous assignment as Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.
The European Commission designated Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, as Special Envoy for Cyprus to contribute to the settlement process, in close cooperation with Holguín.
