UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres is set to inform the members of the UN Security Council about the new diplomat who will replace Colin Stewart, his Special Representative for Cyprus, who concluded his term.
According to CNA sources, Guterres will soon send a letter to the member states of the Security Council to seek their consent so that Senegalese diplomat Khassim Diagne, who until now serves as the Deputy Coordinator for Humanitarian Affairs of the United Nations in Mali, will become his new Special Representative to Cyprus and head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, UNFICYP. If the UNSC members states ratify the proposal, Diagne will replace Colin Stewart.
CNA has learned that the Republic of Cyprus has given a positive response to Guterres’ proposal.
UN sources said that Diagne is a diplomat with 25 years of experience in areas such as refugee protection, political affairs, mission management and supervision. In the past, he also served as Regional Director for West Africa and the Sahel, as well as Deputy Special Representative of the UN Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo MONUSCO, where he was responsible for protection and operations issues.
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.
A second informal meeting on Cyprus in broader format was held in New York, on July 16-17, 2025. Another meeting is anticipated later this year, to follow up on initiatives, agreed by the parties, which the UN Secretary-General António Guterres said they demonstrate a commitment to continuing a dialogue on the way forward. Guterres also announced that he would meet jointly with Cyprus leaders during the General Assembly high-level week, in September.
The two sides in Cyprus continue discussions on outstanding issues, including the opening of crossing points and a solar energy installation in the buffer zone. They also agreed to cooperate on a number of issues, including the exchange of cultural artifacts, while Maria Angela Holguín, the UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, will continue her efforts.
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.
