President Nikos Christodoulides will meet the new head of the United Nations peacekeeping force (Unficyp) in Cyprus and special representative of the UN secretary-general Khassim Diagne for the first time on Wednesday at 11.30am.

The meeting marks the start of cooperation between the Cypriot government and Diagne, who officially succeeded Colin Stewart following his recent retirement.

The government is also awaiting official confirmation from the United Nations regarding the visit of the secretary-general’s personal envoy Maria Angela Holguin to Cyprus and her planned meeting with Christodoulides.

Diagne, a Senegalese diplomat with more than 25 years of experience in international affairs, has served in several senior posts within the UN’s leadership.

Upon his arrival on the island, he said he felt honoured and grateful to take up his new duties and expressed his intention to work closely with all parties involved in the Cyprus peace process.