Unficyp mandate to Cyprus up for annual renewal

The United Nations Security Council is expected soon to vote on the resolution for the renewal of the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus (Unficyp), which expires on the last day of January.

Special representative of the UN Secretary-General in Cyprus and head of Unficyp Colin Stewart, will brief representatives of the countries that contribute troops and police forces in New York and the UN security council, during the second week of January.

According to the Cyprus News Agency, he will also seek to meet the new UNSG envoy as soon as her appointment is officially announced.

According to the procedure, the UNSG’s reports on Unficyp and its good services in Cyprus will be sent to the members of the security council, and Stewart will brief the council on January 13, following distribution of the special representative’s reports.

After informing the security council, the draft of the resolution will be submitted and consultations will be held between member states to arrive at the text of the resolution which should be adopted by January 30.

It is recalled that, from 2023, the mandate of the Unficyp mission is renewed on an annual basis and not twice a year as was the practice until this year.