United Nations Security Council Resolution 2723 – The situation in Cyprus (UNFICYP)

Resolution 2723 (2024)

The Security Council,

Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 3 January 2024 on his Good Offices (S/2024/13) and on the United Nations operation in Cyprus (S/2024/12), and expressing its full support for his Good Offices, including the existing body of work, to remain available to assist the sides,

Underscoring that the responsibility for finding a solution lies first and foremost with the Cypriots themselves, and reaffirming the primary role of the United Nations in assisting the parties to bring the Cyprus conflict and division of the island to a comprehensive and durable settlement with a sense of urgency,

Expressing its appreciation for the continuing personal engagement of the Secretary-General and that of his team, and welcoming the Secretary-General’s appointment of a Personal Envoy to assume a good offices role on his behalf to lead further engagement in the search for common ground with the goal of returning to formal negotiations,

Expressing full support for the Secretary-General’s ongoing efforts and reiterating the importance of openness, flexibility and compromise in finding common ground with the goal of returning to formal negotiations, and urging the sidesto renew their efforts to achieve an enduring, comprehensive and just settlement based on a bicommunal, bizonal federation with political equality, as set out in relevant Security Council resolutions, including paragraph 4 of its resolution 716 (1991),

Noting the need for further progress towards restarting formal negotiations, strongly encouraging all parties to seize the opportunity presented by the Secretary-General’s appointment of a Personal Envoy, and stressing that the status quo is unsustainable, that the situation on the ground is not static, and that the lack of an agreement furthers political tensions and deepens the estrangement of both communities, risking irreversible changes on the ground, and reducing the prospects of a settlement,

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,

Recalling its Presidential Statement (S/PRST/2021/13), and all relevant resolutions and statements of its President regarding Varosha,

Recalling its resolution 1325 (2000) and all related resolutions, recognising that the full, equal and meaningful participation and leadership of women is essential in building peace in Cyprus and will contribute to making any future settlement sustainable, welcoming efforts to bring together a broader range of women actors on both sides and underlining the importance of fully implementing the joint Action Plan on ways to ensure women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace talks, and encouraging the sides to ensure the needs and perspectives of women are addressed in a future settlement,

Recalling its resolution 2250 (2015) and related resolutions that recognise the important and positive contribution of youth in efforts for the maintenance an d promotion of peace and security, and as a key aspect of the sustainability, inclusiveness and success of peacekeeping and peacebuilding efforts, and further encouraging the full, equal and meaningful participation of youth in this process,

Recalling the critical importance of full adherence to applicable international law in the handling of asylum seekers and refugees,

Recalling the Secretary-General’s finding that the socioeconomic disparity between the two Cypriot communities has widened further, and recognising that this risks leading to further estrangement on the island,

Expressing concern at the continued deterioration of the law and order situation in Pyla, welcoming the effective coordination by both sides through the extension of Joint Contact Room to Pyla, and urging both sides to continue to work with UNFICYP to establish effective measures to tackle criminal activities,

Stressing the importance of confidence-building measures and their timely implementation, and strongly encouraging the sides to continue engaging with each other in this regard, including to consider new military confidence building measures,

Urging the sides to step up their efforts to promote intercommunal contacts, intra-island trade, reconciliation and the active engagement of civil society, in particular women and youth, recognising that regular, effective contact and communication between the sides enhances the prospects for settlement and is in the interests of all Cypriots, and helps to address island-wide matters, including health, crime, environmental protection, economic issues, issues related to the adverse impacts of climate change, and challenges related to migration, welcoming efforts to remove obstacles to intra-island trade and urging both sides to strengthen such efforts,

Noting that the Government of Cyprus is agreed that in view of the prevailing conditions on the island it is necessary to keep the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) beyond 31 January 2024,

Welcoming measures to date to strengthen the liaison and engagement capacity of the mission, noting the importance of transition planning in relation to the settlement and in line with resolution 2594 (2021) and other relevant resolutions, and emphasising the need to review regularly all peacekeeping operations, including UNFICYP, to ensure efficiency and effectiveness,

Expressing appreciation to Member States that contribute personnel to UNFICYP, and noting the continued voluntary contributions to the funding of UNFICYP by the Government of Cyprus and the Government of Greece,

Noting with appreciation the efforts of the Secretary-General and his Special Representative Colin Stewart,

Adopted by the Security Council at its 9539th meeting, on 30 January 2024.