Nicosia: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will visit Cyprus from 27 to 29 July, St©phane Dujarric, the Spokesperson for the UN chief announced on Thursday, during a press briefing at the UN headquarters, in New York. Dujarric stated that the Secretary-General will travel to Cyprus as part of his Good Offices Mission and his demonstrated commitment to the Cyprus issue.
According to Cyprus News Agency, during his stay on the island, Guterres will meet with the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, as well as other stakeholders. The discussions are expected to focus on efforts to advance the peace process and support stability on the island, including through the work of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus, UNFICYP.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974, following Turkey's invasion and subsequent occupation of 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.
After informal meetings in 2025, followed by a hiatus of several months, deliberations are underway for a new meeting in a broader format as Guterres' term nears its end. Mara Angela Holgun, Guterres' Personal Envoy on Cyprus, is tasked to engage with the parties. Executive Vice-President Raffaele Fitto acts as the European Commission's Special Representative for Cyprus, succeeding EU special envoy Johannes Hahn.