Security Council resolution 2646 (2022) [on extension of the mandate of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) until 31 Jan. 2024]
Symbol: S/RES/2674 (2023)
Date: 2023-01-30
Status: adopted
Agenda: S/78 [43] UN PEACEKEEPING FORCE IN CYPRUS
S/78 [42] CYPRUS QUESTION
S/ X The situation in Cyprus.
Subjects: UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus|PEACEBUILDING|CONFIDENCE-BUILDING MEASURES|PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS|GOOD OFFICES|VAROSHA (CYPRUS)|CYPRUS|CYPRUS QUESTION
Votes in favour: 15
Votes against: 0
Abstentions: 0
Voting record:
country: ALBANIA
vote: yes
country: BRAZIL
vote: yes
country: CHINA
vote: yes
country: ECUADOR
vote: yes
country: FRANCE
vote: yes
country: GABON
vote: yes
country: GHANA
vote: yes
country: JAPAN
vote: yes
country: MALTA
vote: yes
country: MOZAMBIQUE
vote: yes
country: RUSSIAN FEDERATION
vote: yes
country: SWITZERLAND
vote: yes
country: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
vote: yes
country: UNITED KINGDOM
vote: yes
country: UNITED STATES
vote: yes

               United Nations                                                                      S/RES/2674 (2023)
               Security Council                                                    Distr.: General
                                                                                   30 January 2023




               Resolution 2674 (2023)
               Adopted by the Security Council at its 9252nd meeting, on
               30 January 2023

                    The Security Council,
                     Welcoming the report of the Secretary-General of 3 January 2023 on his Good
               Offices (S/2023/6) and on the United Nations operation in Cyprus (S/2023/3), 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,
                     Welcoming the continuing personal engagement of the Secretary-General and
               that of his team, and reiterating its support for his proposal for a United Nations envoy
               to lead further engagement which could provide critical support 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
               sides to 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 with regret the lack of progress made towards restarting formal
               negotiations at this time 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,
                     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 the agreement and launch of the joint action plan on ways to ensure



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               women’s full, equal and meaningful participation in peace talks and underlining the
               importance of its implementation, 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 and
               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,
                    Recognising the ongoing efforts made by both communities to suppress the
               spread of COVID-19 and mitigate its effects, welcoming the ongoing cooperation
               between the sides on epidemiological issues and the return of the crossing points to
               the status quo ante, and echoing the Secretary-General’s finding that the
               socioeconomic disparity between the two Cypriot communities has widened further,
                     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 advers e
               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 2023,
                     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,
                     1.    Reaffirms all its relevant resolutions on Cyprus, in particular resolution
               1251 (1999) and recalls the importance of achieving 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);



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                 2.    Fully supports the Secretary-General’s ongoing engagement with the sides
           and encourages further rounds of informal talks and reiterates the importance of the
           sides and all involved participants approaching this process in the spirit of openness,
           flexibility and compromise and showing the necessary political will and commitment
           to freely negotiate a mutually acceptable settlement under United Nations auspices,
           and continues to urge the sides to engage actively and without further delay with the
           Secretary-General and his team to this end, and further urges the sides to reach an
           agreement regarding the proposal of the Secretary-General to appoint a United
           Nations envoy, who could provide critical support in the search for common ground
           with the goal of returning to formal negotiations for a lasting settlement in Cyprus;
                 3.    Recalls the status of Varosha as set out in relevant resolutions, including
           resolutions 550 (1984) and 789 (1992), and its Presidential Statement
           (S/PRST/2021/13) which condemns the 20 July 2021 announcement by Turkish and
           Turkish Cypriot leaders on the further reopening of a part of the fenced -off area of
           Varosha, expresses deep regret regarding the contin uation of unilateral actions that
           run contrary to its previous resolutions and statements on Varosha and calls for the
           immediate reversal of this course of action and of all steps taken on Varosha since
           October 2020, deeply regrets the ongoing disregard of this call for immediate reversal,
           cautions against any further actions in relation to Varosha that are not in accordance
           with its resolutions, emphasises that any further unilateral action may prompt a
           response from the Security Council and continues to stress the need to avoid any
           unilateral actions that could raise tensions on the island and undermine the prospects
           for a peaceful settlement;
                 4.   Expresses concern at the continuing tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean,
           and underlines that disputes should be resolved peacefully in accordance with
           applicable international law, remains convinced of the many important benefits,
           including economic benefits, for all Cypriots and the wider region that would flow
           from a comprehensive and durable settlement, reiterates the Secretary-General’s
           previous call to avoid escalatory steps, and further calls upon the leaders of the two
           Cypriot communities and all involved parties to refrain from any actions and rhetoric
           that might damage the settlement process and that could raise tensions on the island;
                5.    Recalls its resolution 2646 (2022) and calls upon the two leaders urgently to:
                 (a) reinvigorate their efforts to provide the necessary support and overall
           guidance to free the Technical Committees from political obstructions in their work
           and enable them to function effectively in coordination and cooperation on matters
           which have island-wide implications, overcoming recent political blockages that have
           slowed or obstructed progress, including through the effective use of the expertise
           available in the bicommunal Technical Committees on Health, Criminal Matters,
           Crisis Management, Humanitarian Affairs and Economic Matters, and to empower
           them to submit proposals for their consideration to enhance intercommunal contacts
           and improve the daily lives of all Cypriots, and consider the advice of the Good
           Offices Mission of the Secretary-General regarding further ways to empower the
           Technical Committees, improve their performance and protect and insulate them from
           wider political discussions;
                (b)   ensure effective coordination and cooperation on criminal matters;
                (c) strengthen efforts to promote peace education across the island, including
           by further empowering the Technical Committee on Education to implement the
           recommendations contained in its joint report of 2017, in particular those concerning
           policy-making, and to address impediments to peace by conducting a joint review of
           school materials, including text books, as a contribution to trust -building between the
           communities, on which there continues to be no progress, and by supporting peace
           education projects aimed at increasing contact and collaboration among the

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               communities in Cyprus and facilitating the meaningful participation of youth in the
               peace process;
                     (d) improve the public atmosphere for negotiation to secure a settlement,
               including by preparing the communities for a settlement through public messages on
               the way ahead, and delivering more constructive and harmonised messages, including
               by more explicitly encouraging contact and cooperation betwee n the communities and
               providing direct support to grassroots people-to-people initiatives, and by refraining
               from actions or rhetoric that detracts from a successful process or could make it more
               difficult to achieve;
                    (e) increase their support to, and ensure a meaningful role for, civil society
               engagement in peace efforts, in particular strengthening the participation of women’s
               organisations and youth in the process, and to support implementation of the
               recommendations of the gender sensitive socioeconomic impact assessment to
               address existing barriers and ensure a future peace agreement can more equally
               benefit men and women in Cyprus;
                     6.    Regrets the ongoing lack of full, equal and meaningful participation of
               women and the participation of youth in the Settlement process, but welcomes the
               adoption and launch of the Action Plan on women’s full, equal and meaningful
               participation in the settlement process, to support and encourage engagement with
               civil society, including women’s organisations and women leaders, and to include a
               gender perspective in a future settlement process and urges the leaders of both sides
               as a matter of priority to support the Technical Committee on Gender Equality to
               formulate the next steps for the thorough and effective implementation of all
               recommendations under the Action Plan, and to review implementation of the plan
               every six months and provide recommendations as appropriate, and continues to note
               the Secretary-General’s call to ensure the inclusion of at least 30 per cent women in
               future delegations;
                     7.    Deeply regrets the lack of progress on an effective mechanism for direct
               military contacts between the sides and the relevant involved parties, and urges
               flexibility and engagement by the sides and the relevant involved parties, facilitated
               by UNFICYP, to develop a suitably acceptable proposal on the establishment of such
               a mechanism, and its timely implementation;
                     8.    Calls upon the sides to reduce existing barriers to intercommunal contact,
               emphasizes the importance of effective communication for risk -mitigation and trustbuilding between the communities, and in this regard welcomes the continuation of
               the regular dialogue between the sides and the United Nations, urges the sides to agree
               and implement further confidence building measures that can contribute to a
               conducive environment for settlement, including those related to the military,
               economic cooperation and trade, and including through the work of the Technical
               Committees, welcomes the recent increase in trade across the Green Line and
               encourages further progress in this regard, and 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;
                     9.    Commends the ongoing work of the Committee on Missing Persons, and
               calls upon all parties to enhance their cooperation with the Committee’s work, in
               particular through providing full access without delay to all areas and responding in
               a timely manner to requests for archival information on possible burial sites;
                     10. Expresses its full support for UNFICYP, and decides to extend its mandate
               for a further period ending on 31 January 2024, affirms its intention to continue to


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           monitor the situation in Cyprus closely and further affirms its readiness to review the
           implementation of this resolution after six months and to consider any adjustments or
           other action as necessary, taking into account the advice of the Secretary-General in
           the reports requested in paragraph 21 of this resolution;
                 11. Underlines its continued serious concern and alarm at 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 increase in
           unauthorised construction as outlined in paragraphs 11, 19, 20, 21 and 22 of the
           Secretary-General’s report (S/2023/3) which poses challenges to UNFICYP’s
           operations and mandated authority;
                 12. Strongly urges the sides and all involved parties to respect UNFICYP’s
           mandated authority in and delineation of the Buffer Zon e and to refrain from
           unilateral actions in contravention thereof, reaffirms the importance of the use of the
           2018 United Nations aide-memoire by the sides to ensure peace and security in the
           Buffer Zone, continues to request the Secretary-General to report to the Security
           Council and troop- and police-contributing countries any actions that impede
           UNFICYP’s ability to fulfil its mandate, including risks to the integrity of the Buffer
           Zone, as well as the safety, security, access and freedom of movement of UNFICYP
           personnel, and all instances of interference with UNFICYP’s activities across the
           island by all actors and efforts to hold perpetrators of such actions accountable, as
           applicable, and calls urgently on both sides to respect the integrity and inviolability
           of the Buffer Zone, to remove all unauthorised constructions and to prevent
           unauthorised military or civilian activities within and along the ceasefire lines;
                 13. Stresses that UNFICYP’s mandated authority extends throughout Cyprus,
           calls on all parties to continue to cooperate with UNFICYP and strongly urges full
           respect for UNFICYP’s freedom of movement throughout Cyprus and the cessation
           of all restrictions on the mission’s movement and access, including to ensure
           systematic and effective monitoring and reporting by the mission particularly on the
           situation in Varosha, as well as elsewhere, stresses that restrictions on freedom of
           movement can present serious risks to the safety and security of United Nations
           personnel serving in peacekeeping operations, requests the Secretary-General,
           Member States and all parties to strengthen their efforts to take all appropriate
           measures to ensure the safety and security and freedom of movement of UNFICYP
           personnel with unhindered and immediate access, in line with resolution 2518 (2020);
                 14. Expresses concern over unauthorised or criminal activities in the buffer
           zone and the risks they pose to peacekeeper safety and security, condemns any attack
           on UNFICYP and its personnel and calls for the perpetrators of such attacks to be
           held to account;
                 15. Reiterates its calls on the Turkish Cypriot side and Turkish forces to
           restore in Strovilia the military status quo which existed there prior to 30 June 2000,
           and reaffirms that UNFICYP’s freedom of movement should be respected;
                 16. Continues to urge the leaders of both communities to agree and continue
           a plan of work to achieve a mine-free Cyprus, and to overcome the existing barriers
           to this work as outlined in paragraph 24of the Secretary-General’s report (S/2023/3),
           in order to make expeditious progress towards clearing the 29 remaining suspected
           hazardous areas on the island;
                 17. Requests the Secretary-General to implement the following activities and
           existing obligations in the planning and conduct of UNFICYP’s operations within the
           limits of the mandate and area of operations and in line with existing United Nations
           guidelines and regulations:

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                     (a) women, peace and security requirements under resolution 1325 (2000) and
               all resolutions addressing women, peace, and security, including by seeking to
               increase the number of women in UNFICYP in line with resolution 2538 (2020),
               including through ensuring the full, equal, and meaningful participation of women at
               all levels, and in all aspects of its operations including senior leadership positions,
               and through ensuring safe, enabling and gender-sensitive working environments for
               women in peacekeeping operations, as well as taking fully into account gender
               considerations as a crosscutting issue throughout its mandate, and reaffirming the
               importance of sufficient gender expertise in all mission components and capacity
               strengthening in executing the mission mandate in a gen der-responsive manner;
                    (b) peacekeeping performance requirements under resolutions 2378 (2017)
               and 2436 (2018);
                    (c) the United Nations zero-tolerance policies on serious misconduct, sexual
               exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment, and all actions under resolution 2272
               (2016), and to report to the Security Council if such cases of misconduct occur;
                    (d) implementing more effective casualty and medical evacuation procedures,
               as well as deploying enhanced medical evacuation capacities;
                     (e) taking active and effective measures to improve the planning and
               functioning of UNFICYP’s safety and security facilities and arrangements;
                    (f) youth, peace and security requirements under resolutions 2250 (2015),
               2419 (2018) and 2535 (2020);
                     18. Urges troop- and police-contributing countries to continue taking
               appropriate action to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse, including vetting,
               predeployment and in-mission awareness training for all personnel, to ensure full
               accountability in cases of such conduct involving their personnel, including through
               timely investigations of all allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse, to repatriate
               units when there is credible evidence of widespread or systemic sexual exploitation
               and abuse by those units, to take appropriate disciplinary measures, and to report to
               the United Nations fully and promptly on actions undertaken;
                     19. Requests troop- and police-contributing countries to implement relevant
               provisions of resolution 2538 (2020) and all other relevant resolutions on reducing
               barriers to and increasing women’s participation at all levels and in all positions in
               peacekeeping, including by ensuring safe, enabling and gender-sensitive working
               environments for women in peacekeeping operations;
                    20. Notes the United Nations Department of Operational Support’s
               Environment Strategy (phase II), which emphasises good stewardship of resources
               and a positive legacy of the mission, and identifies the goal of expanded renewable
               energy use in missions to enhance safety and security, save costs, offer efficiencies
               and benefit the mission;
                     21. Requests the Secretary-General to submit two reports, by 4 July 2023 and
               3 January 2024 respectively, on his Good Offices, in particular on progress towards
               reaching a consensus starting point for meaningful results-oriented negotiations
               leading to a settlement, encourages the leaders of the two communities to provide
               written updates every six months to the Good Offices Mission of the Secretary -
               General on the actions they have taken in support of the relevant parts of this
               resolution since its adoption, in particular with regard to paragraphs 5, 6, 7 and 8,
               with a view to reaching a sustainable and comprehensive settlement, and further
               requests the Secretary-General to include the contents of these updates in his Good
               Offices reports; further requests the Secretary-General to submit two reports, by
               4 July 2023 and 3 January 2024 respectively, on the implementation of this resolution


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           that provides integrated, evidence-based and data-driven analysis, strategic
           assessments and frank advice to the Security Council, drawing on data collected and
           analysed through the Comprehensive Planning and Performance Assessment System
           (CPAS), the mission’s implementation of the Integrated Peacekeeping Performance
           and Accountability Framework (IPPAF) and other strategic planning and performance
           measurement tools to describe the mission’s impact and overall mission performance,
           including information on undeclared caveats, declining to participate in or undertake
           patrols and their impact on the mission, and how the reported cases of underperformance are addressed, and to keep the Security Council updated on events as
           necessary;
                22.   Decides to remain seized of the matter.




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