UN Secretary-General Guterres expresses support for bicommunal technical committees in Cyprus

During his recent visit to Cyprus, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with members of the bicommunal technical committees to express his strong support for their ongoing work. The meeting, which included the participation of the Head of UNFICYP and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Colin Stewart, as well as the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy, Maria Angela Holguin, highlighted the importance of inter-communal cooperation.

Michalis Loizidis, the Greek Cypriot head of the Technical Committee on the Environment, reported that UN officials emphasized the necessity of developing cooperation between the communities as a foundational element for a settlement to the Cyprus issue. According to Loizidis, Guterres underscored that confidence-building measures (CBMs) are of primary importance, serving as a vital demonstration of the leaders' intent to cooperate and a necessary prerequisite for the coexistence of the two communities on the island.

This engagement reflects the UN's ongoing strategy to utilize technical, non-political cooperation as a catalyst for broader political progress. The dialogue serves as part of the broader framework to maintain open channels between the communities, focusing on practical implementation of collaborative projects as a means to foster trust and facilitate a path toward a final resolution.