European Commission executive vice president Raffaele Fitto will visit Cyprus tomorrow for the first time since being appointed the EU’s special representative for the Cyprus problem, the Commission confirmed on Wednesday.

During the visit, Fitto is scheduled to meet President Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhurman before departing the island on Friday, according to information obtained by the Cyprus News Agency.

The visit comes a day after UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres concludes his visit to Cyprus and forms part of the European Union’s efforts to support the UN led settlement process.

“The visit confirms the European Union’s commitment to contributing to finding a solution to the Cyprus problem and to supporting the ongoing efforts of the UN, as well as the personal commitment of Secretary General Guterres to achieving this goal,” a European Commission spokesperson told CNA.

The Commission said the visit falls within Fitto’s mandate to contribute to efforts aimed at reaching a settlement under UN auspices.

According to the Commission, Fitto will carry out his role “in close cooperation and coordination” with the UN Secretary General’s personal envoy for Cyprus, Maria Angela Holguin.

Fitto was appointed as the EU’s special representative for the Cyprus issue while serving as executive vice president of the European Commission with responsibility for cohesion and reforms.

The European Union has repeatedly expressed support for a comprehensive settlement under the framework of the United Nations and has maintained that it stands ready to contribute to the process within the limits of its competencies.