United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Cyprus on Monday for the first visit by a UN chief to the island in 16 years, seeking to revive reunification negotiations that have been stalled since 2017.
Guterres will hold separate meetings with Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Christodoulides and Turkish Cypriot leader Tufan Erhürman on Tuesday, followed by a trilateral meeting on Wednesday. The visit follows Erhürman's election victory in October 2025, seen as favourable to reunification. The objective is to announce a new informal expanded meeting with guarantor powers, likely in early September.
Personal envoy Maria Angela Holguín has been developing a new framework envisioning a bizonal bicommunal federation with greater autonomy for constituent states. Turkey insists any new process must recognise the sovereign equality of Turkish Cypriots. Cyprus has been divided since 1974 following a Turkish invasion triggered by a Greek Cypriot coup.