On June 14, the Permanent Missions of Greece and Cyprus to the United Nations participated in a solemn ceremony marking 60 years since the establishment of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP). The task force was created to prevent the recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, unfortunately however, the conflict continued and, following the events of 1974, the island was divided.
Back in 1964, when the Security Council paved the way for UNFICYP, 12,000 peacekeepers serving under the flag of the United Nations were deployed in Cyprus. To date, 150,000 women and men from the military and police forces of 43 Member States (soon to become 44) have served with UNFICYP, while, 187 peacekeepers paid the ultimate sacrifice, losing their lives for the cause of peace.
In January, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres appointed María Angela Holguín Cuéllar of Colombia as his Personal Envoy on Cyprus. The Secretary-General has asked Ms. Holguín to assume a good offices role on his behalf to search for common ground on the way forward and to advise him on the Cyprus issue.
Watch the documentary film on UNFICYP: ‘In the service of peace’.
Read UNFICYP’s 2024 Special Edition of the Blue Beret Magazine