Nicosia: We have to build trust and the way to do it is by listening to both leaders and their concerns, UNSG’s Personal Envoy on Cyprus, Mara Angela Holgun, said on Monday. In statements after meeting with Turkish Cypriot leader Ersin Tatar, she remarked on the productivity of their meeting, noting that she paid close attention to Tatar’s concerns, particularly regarding property issues.
According to Cyprus News Agency, Holgun discussed the Confidence Building Measures agreed upon in March during the Geneva meeting, emphasizing the importance of having tangible outcomes by the next meeting in July. While Holgun mentioned that the upcoming meeting would occur in New York, UN official sources later clarified that it is scheduled for Geneva. “We are going to work, I am going to do all my best to give us a bridge to have results,” she added.
Holgun also met with Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides to review the agreements from the informal meeting held on March 17-18, 2025, in Geneva. She reiterated the necessity of building trust by attentively listening to both leaders and their concerns.
The division of Cyprus dates back to 1974, following Turkey’s invasion and occupation of the island’s northern third. Despite numerous UN-led peace talks, achieving a resolution has been consistently hindered, most recently with inconclusive negotiations in July 2017 at Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
The UN Secretary General announced plans for an informal meeting on Cyprus in a broader format, slated for the end of July, following the March meeting in Geneva. Initiatives agreed upon include the opening of crossing points, establishing a Technical Committee on Youth, and other joint efforts within the buffer zone and across the island.
In early May, UN Secretary-General Ant³nio Guterres appointed Mara Angela Holgun Cu©llar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus. Her task is to reengage the parties involved and advise on the next steps for the Cyprus issue. Holgun previously served in this role from January to July 2024. Additionally, the European Commission appointed Johannes Hahn, a former European Commissioner, as Special Envoy for Cyprus, to work closely with Holgun in facilitating the settlement process.