The Security Council today renewed the United Nations peacekeeping presence in Cyprus for another year, welcomed the intensification of dialogue in 2025 and called upon the sides and all parties to engage actively with the Secretary-General and his team.
By a recorded vote of 13 votes in favour to none against, with 2 abstentions (Pakistan and Somalia), the Council adopted resolution 2815 (2026) (to be issued as document S/RES/2815 (2026) ), and decided to extend the mandate of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 January 2027.
Deployed in 1964 to help prevent a recurrence of fighting between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities, UNFICYP is one of the United Nations' longest-running missions. It monitors the ceasefire lines, maintains the buffer zone and supports efforts towards a lasting political settlement.
By its terms, the Council recalled the importance of achieving an enduring, comprehensive and just settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in relevant resolutions.
The text expressed the Council's full support for UNFICYP, stressed the need for the sides and all involved parties to respect its mandated authority in and delineation of the buffer zone and to refrain from unilateral actions in contravention thereof. It stressed that UNFICYP's mandated authority extends throughout Cyprus, called on all parties to continue to cooperate with the Peacekeeping Force and strongly urged full respect for UNFICYP's freedom of movement throughout Cyprus.
By other terms, the Council condemned the continued violations of the military status quo along the ceasefire lines and regretted the lack of progress on an effective mechanism for direct military contacts between the sides and the relevant involved parties. It also called upon the sides to reduce existing barriers to intercommunal contact and emphasized the importance of effective communication for risk-mitigation and trust-building between the communities,
The text requested the Secretary-General to submit two reports, by 6 July 2026 and 4 January 2027 respectively, on his good offices, in particular on progress towards reaching a consensus starting point for meaningful results-oriented negotiations leading to a settlement.
Complete Live Blog coverage of today's meeting can be found here .
