Ex-Colombian FM nominated as UN envoy for Cyprus

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has recommended Maria Ángela Holguín Cuéllar, former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, as his envoy for the long-standing Cyprus issue, sources revealed. The proposal has been extended to all parties involved in the matter.

President Nikos Christodoulides, confirming the selection of a female envoy from a Latin American country, anticipates a potential announcement by Guterres later this week. Cuéllar, aged 60, previously served as Colombia's Foreign Minister from 2010 to 2018 and held the position of Colombia's Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2004 to 2006. Notably, she played a crucial role as the President's Delegate in the Negotiation of the Colombia Peace Process during her tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Cyprus has remained divided since the illicit Turkish invasion of 1974, with multiple UN-mediated peace talks aimed at reunification under a federal structure proving unsuccessful. The most recent round of discussions occurred in the summer of 2017 in Crans Montana, Switzerland.

[Information sourced from CNA]