Colin Stewart has arrived in Cyprus to formally take up his duties as the new Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General (SRSG) and Head of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), the force announced on Monday.

Stewart, who succeeds Elizabeth Spehar, will also be the Deputy Special Adviser to the Secretary-General (DSASG) on Cyprus.

Speaking upon his arrival, he said he was “honoured” to be in Cyprus, paying tribute to Spehar “for her stalwart leadership of UNFICYP and the Good Offices mission.

“I am keenly aware of the importance of UNFICYP’s mandate for the lives of all Cypriots and I look forward to working with all of you and our partners in Cyprus,” he said.

“I look forward to continuing the work of the United Nations in Cyprus and hope to forge strong working relationships with all stakeholders and learn from them so that, together, we can hopefully bring a lasting peace to the island”.

Stewart will meet President Ersin Tatar and the Greek Cypriot leader Nicos Anastasiades as well as other senior officials, civil society representatives, and diplomats across the island over the coming weeks.