Philenews

Cyprus: UN Secretary-General's Special Representative in New York to Brief Security Council

Published January 7, 2026, 13:24
Cyprus: UN Secretary-General's Special Representative in New York to Brief Security Council

The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative in Cyprus, Kazim Ndiaye, is in New York to brief the Security Council on the situation on the island and the mandate of UNFICYP. He is expected to update representatives of countries contributing to the peacekeeping force and the Security Council on January 15th, based on the new reports of the UN Secretary-General. Mr. Ndiaye will also meet with the Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, and the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix. On January 29th, the Security Council will vote on renewing UNFICYP’s mandate for another year. Simultaneously, as part of a restructuring of the Office of the Special Advisor on Cyprus, a budget reduction of $1.2 million and the elimination of eight positions are proposed, including the position of Special Advisor. This is attributed to the absence of official negotiations since 2017 and the appointment of a Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Cyprus. The position of Special Advisor has remained vacant since Espen Barth Eide’s departure.