Nicosia: UN Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar, is set to officially begin her mission on May 12, with a visit to Cyprus expected later in the month. Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides announced on Sunday that he has already had discussions with Holgun and they have tentatively scheduled a meeting for May.
According to Cyprus News Agency, President Christodoulides emphasized that although they have exchanged potential dates for the meeting, the official announcement will be made by Holgun. The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of its northern region. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, a resolution has yet to be reached, primarily due to Turkish intransigence. The last round of negotiations in July 2017 at Crans-Montana ended without conclusion.
The UN Secretary-General, Ant³nio Guterres, has announced plans for an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format at the end of July. This follows a similar meeting held in Geneva on March 17-18, where both sides agreed to pursue several initiatives, such as opening crossing points and creating a Technical Committee on Youth, alongside other efforts in the buffer zone and across the island.
Guterres declared in early May the appointment of Holgun, from Colombia, as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus. Her mission is to reengage with the concerned parties and advise on the next steps regarding the Cyprus issue. Holgun previously served as the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General on Cyprus from January to July 2024.