Holguin reappointed UN chief’s personal envoy to Cyprus, government to cooperate ‘closely’
María Angela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia was appointed as UN Secretary-General António Guterres the personal envoy to Cyprus on Friday.

UN spokesperson in Cyprus Aleem Siddique on Saturday said that no further details could be given about when Holguín will visit the island, adding that the timing of the visit was for her to decide.

Meanwhile the government welcomed Holguin’s appointment, saying it was tangible proof of Guterres’ personal dedication to the resumption of negotiations for a Cyprus settlement.

Government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis said the appointment indicated the UN chief’s will to decisively contribute towards lifting the deadlock and restarting the peace process.

“We express our unwavering dedication to finding a just, viable and functional solution of the Cyprus problem, on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions and the agreed framework,” Letymbiotis said.

He added that the government was ready to cooperate “closely and constructively” with Holguin in view of the meeting in July, which “we aspire will constitute the springboard for the resumption of negotiations”.

“We remain firmly committed to the goal of the reunification of Cyprus, in a modern, European and democratic state, without foreign guarantees, occupying troops and anachronistic invasive rights,” the spokesman said.

He added that “with a spirit of responsibility and realism, we remain at the forefront of the diplomatic effort and work with sincerity, consistency and determination to end the occupation and reunify our homeland.”

“The hope for a solution remains alive and it is the duty of all of us to turn it into reality,” Letymbiotis said.
“Following the conclusion of the informal meeting in Cyprus in a broader format, held in Geneva on 17 and 18 March, the secretary-general has asked Ms Holguín to reengage with the parties in order to work on next steps on the Cyprus issue and advise him,” the UN chief’s office said in a press release.

It added that Holguín “completed a previous assignment as personal envoy of the secretary-general on Cyprus from January to July 2024”.

Holguín brings “extensive diplomatic experience at the highest levels”, including as Colombian foreign minister from 2010 to 2018.

She had previously served as delegate of the president of Colombia at the peace process negotiation in Havana, Cuba, in 2015 and 2016, and was a member of the cabinet for post-conflict in 2017 and 2018.
Previous posts in her diplomatic career include the position of permanent representative of Colombia to the United Nations, ambassador to Venezuela and deputy minister of foreign affairs.

Holguín holds a degree in political science from the Universidad de Los Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.
She also studied at the Centre d’ Études Diplomatiques et Stratégiques and at the Université Paris–Sorbonne in Paris, France.

In addition to Spanish, she speaks English and French.

Personal envoys are appointed by the UN secretary-general to carry out a mission without a formal mandate from the Security Council or General Assembly.

Holguín was first appointed in early 2024, filling a post that had been vacant since 2017, when Norwegian diplomat Espen Barth Eide concluded his term after serving from 2014 to 2017.

In their role, envoys typically travel to the region as needed rather than residing there permanently, holding meetings with key stakeholders and reporting directly to the secretary-general.