The 10 wins Nicosia secured in UNFICYP’s mandate renewal

The final text of Resolution 2723(2024), which renews the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force for another year, was unanimously adopted by the Security Council.

The final vote was preceded by intense diplomatic efforts in New York and Nicosia to achieve improvements over the initial draft and previous decisions.

In total, Nicosia notes ten changes between the adopted Resolution 2723 on Tuesday and Resolution 2674 of 2023. The main difference relates to recent developments, including the appointment of Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar, as well as the reference to the events in Pyla, with Nicosia expressing satisfaction with the language used.

The differences achieved by the Republic of Cyprus government are detailed as follows:

1. Addition of a reference to the appointment of a United Nations Secretary-General’s personal envoy, which the Security Council: “Welcomes the appointment of the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy to assume a good offices role on his behalf and further encourages the sides to engage constructively with the Secretary-General’s Personal Envoy in the search for common ground with the goal of returning to formal negotiations for a lasting settlement in Cyprus.”
2. Addition of a paragraph for de-escalation of tensions in the buffer zone: “Urging both sides and all involved parties to take steps to de-escalate tensions in and around the Buffer Zone, underlining the importance of respect for the integrity and inviolability of the Buffer Zone and UNFICYP’s mandated authority therein.”
3. Addition of a reference to the events in Pyla, which is deemed satisfactory, condemning the attack and calling for cooperation to implement the understanding: “Recalls its press statement (SC/15391) of 21 August 2023 which condemns the assaults against UN peacekeepers and damage to UN vehicles by Turkish Cypriot personnel near Pyla/Pile on 18 August 2023, welcomes the Special Representative of the Secretary-General’s engagement with all parties to reach an understanding regarding arrangements for the Pyla/Pile plateau as outlined in paragraph 11 of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2024/12), regrets that the emergence of new issues has resulted in a pause in all work and urges all parties concerned to work constructively with UNFICYP to implement the Pyla/Pile understanding as an important confidence-building measure.”
4. Addition of a reference to violations attributed to occupying forces according to Nicosia’s assessment, achieved after a request by the Cypriot government for inclusion of the relevant observation of the Secretary-General in his report on UNFICYP. The resolution recognises the demarcation of the buffer zone by UNFICYP and expresses particular concern over the reported trend of repeated violations of forward movement across the entire northern ceasefire line and contestation of the status quo of the buffer zone in certain areas.
5. Addition of a reference that socio-economic inequality “risks leading to further estrangement on the island.” This, according to the assessment of the Cypriot government, is linked to proposals in the operative part of the resolution for further enhancement of trade, with the “removal of remaining obstacles and opening of new crossing points.”
6. In paragraph 13, instead of the original reference that the Security Council notes with concern, it states that it “Condemns” the continued violations of the military status quo along the ceasefire lines, the reported encroachment by both sides into the Buffer Zone and the risks associated, the challenges to the mission’s delineation of the Buffer Zone and the reported increase in number and severity of military violations and unauthorised construction as outlined in paragraphs 10, 17, 18, 19 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27 and 32, of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2024/12) which poses significant challenges to UNFICYP’s operations and mandated authority.
7. Modification of some references regarding trade through the Green Line, calls for the opening of new crossing points, and calls for the removal of trade barriers: “Welcomes the continued flow of trade across the Green Line, while noting that trade levels have not yet reached their full potential, and encourages further progress on the removal of remaining obstacles and the opening of new crossing points and expansion of bicommunal contact, reiterates its support for the proposal of the Secretary-General for a dialogue between the parties and the Special Representative to explore a possible agreement on surveillance technology and unmanning of positions adjacent to the buffer zone but continues to regret the lack of progress in this regard to date.”
8. Addition of a reference in paragraph 15: “welcomes UNFICYP making use of relevant tools to enhance its situational awareness and encourages further progress in this regard within existing resources and, as appropriate, in consultation with parties within existing practice.”
9. Addition of a reference to misinformation in paragraph 17: “Underlines the importance of a proactive approach to strategic communications, and requests UNFICYP to strengthen its existing efforts to monitor and to counter disinformation and misinformation.”
10. Finally, the resolution (paragraph 7c) calls for the reactivation of the Technical Committee on Education: “reinvigorating the Technical Committee on Education and empowering it.”

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