Nicosia: The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) has been operating through budget reductions and structural reorganization, a UN report presenting the budget performance and the budget for UNFICYP for the periods from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 and 1 July 2026 to 30 June 2027 said. The report recalled that the mandate of UNFICYP 'was established by the Security Council in its resolution 186 (1964)' and most recently extended 'until 31 January 2027'. The Force is mandated to help the Council advance 'peace and security in Cyprus and a return to normal conditions', it added.
According to Cyprus News Agency, during 2024/25, 'the operations of the Force remained stable within the overall objective of maintaining peace and security in Cyprus and facilitating a return to normal conditions', it further noted. UNFICYP 'enhanced its efforts in all areas of its mandate, including preventing tensions and maintaining a calm and stable environment on the ground, political engagements and supporting initiatives aimed at trust-building and cooperation'. It continued to support 'confidence-building measures through the facilitation and co-facilitation of technical committees' and engagement on 'the clearance of minefields and suspected hazardous areas,' the UN report said.
At the same time, 'the absence of meaningful progress towards the resumption of formal negotiations, limited intercommunal contact and violations of varying severity contributed to persistent tensions'. Rising costs 'particularly for commercial flights and civilian personnel, also impacted budget implementation,' the report noted.
Financially, UNFICYP incurred $55.3 million in expenditure for the budget performance period, representing a resource utilization rate of 97.9 per cent in 2024/25. The 'unencumbered balance of $1.2 million reflects the reduced operational costs' linked mainly to lower military personnel requirements and deferred acquisitions, the UN said. For 2026/27, the proposed budget amounts to $56.3 million, representing a decrease of $1.0 million, or 1.8 per cent compared with 2025/26. The reduced requirements are 'attributable primarily to the lower requirements for uniformed personnel and international staff' and 'the proposed abolishment of civilian personnel posts,' it pointed out.
In 2026/27, UNFICYP 'will continue to prioritize efforts that contribute to the prevention of a recurrence of fighting, the maintenance of law and order and a return to normal conditions'. It will maintain 'a proactive political engagement approach' and continue 'integrated and coordinated military and civilian liaison in handling tensions and maintaining a calm and stable environment,' the report said.
It added that the Force will also support 'seven technical committees, including the newly established Technical Committee on Youth' and encourage the clearance of 'the remaining 29 minefields, including 4 in the buffer zone'. Gender and youth inclusion remain central. Pursuant to resolution 1325 (2000), UNFICYP will support 'the full, meaningful and effective participation of women in peace and political processes' and continue 'gender-inclusive peacebuilding activities with youth- and women-led peacebuilding efforts across the island,' the UN pointed out.
The report also outlined structural adjustments. It proposed to 'formalize the current two-pillar structure comprising the Operations and Resource Management pillar and the Supply Chain Management and Service Delivery pillar'. A new post of 'Chief of Operations and Resource Management at the P-5 level' is proposed, offset by the abolishment of the 'Chief of Service Delivery (P-4)' post. Overall, staffing proposals reflect 'the prioritization of operational requirements and optimized deployment, enabling essential outcomes to be delivered with a leaner footprint', the report said.
Efficiency measures include the 'reduced deployment of military contingent personnel,' 'reduced deployment of United Nations police officers,' and the 'abolishment of 2 Field Service posts and 9 General Service posts'. Estimated efficiencies for 2026/27 amount to 4.3 per cent of the approved 2025/26 budget, it added. In summary, the report depicts a mission operating in a stable but politically constrained environment, maintaining 'peace and security in Cyprus' while adjusting its structure and resources to ensure effective mandate delivery under tighter fiscal parameters.