The Secretary-General of the United Nations has officially appointed his representative in Cyprus

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, has officially appointed his personal representative in Cyprus. As expected, former Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar has been chosen for the role.

In a written statement by the UN spokesperson, it is mentioned that António Guterres has asked his representative on the island to take on the "good offices" role to facilitate dialogue on the Cyprus issue on his behalf and has sought her advice on resolving the matter.

The statement also highlights that the former Colombian Minister of Foreign Affairs has extensive diplomatic experience. María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar served in the Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2018. She is fluent in Spanish, English, and French.

Unlike the UN Special Envoy for Cyprus, the personal representative of the Secretary-General will receive her mandate directly from António Guterres, not from the UN Security Council.

Recall that in late December of last year, the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ersin Tatar, approved the candidacy of Colombian María Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, proposed by the UN Secretary-General as his personal representative in Cyprus.

It is expected that the Colombian representative will hold this position for only six months, as stipulated by the special condition set by the Turkish Cypriot leader.

It is worth noting that this appointment was welcomed by the European Union (EU) over the weekend.

A joint statement was made by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the EU Commissioner responsible for harmonization and reforms, Elisa Ferreira.

The statement emphasizes the hope that this appointment will contribute to returning to official negotiations for a final resolution of the island's issues and underscores the importance of security and stability in the Eastern Mediterranean.