“We are at a bit of a challenging moment for Cyprus because of upcoming elections in the north and other dynamics,” the UNSG’s Special Representative and head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP), Colin Stewart has said, describing the talks in the framework of the informal meeting in a broader format on Cyprus that took place in New York earlier this month as “an important step.”
“The intent was to keep the ball rolling and keep the momentum going, and I think that succeeded,” he added in an interview with the UN News.
As it is noted, after nearly three decades on the frontlines of UN peace operations – from Timor-Leste’s turbulent independence referendum to Western Sahara’s protracted ceasefire and Cyprus’ frozen conflict – Colin Stewart is leaving the Organization with his faith in it intact.
In early August, he steps down as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
Looking back at his tenure in Cyprus, Stewart likened UNFICYP’s daily work to stamping out sparks before they ignite.
“There are all sorts of activities happening in the buffer zone every day, each with the potential to escalate,” he said. “Our job is to prevent those sparks from bursting into flames. When I report to the Security Council that things are calm, it means we have been successful,” he added.
“Some people ask why the peacekeeping mission is still needed, given that it’s been peaceful for 50 years…the answer is simple – it’s peaceful because the mission has been doing its job. Without it, the deep mistrust between the sides could easily spiral into confrontation,” Stewart said.
Referring to the Secretary-General’s good offices to support a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus, he noted that the greatest obstacle lies not in public sentiment but in political will.
“The people get along fine,” he added. “Millions cross from one side to the other every year without incident. But among political leaders, distrust runs so deep that even the idea of compromise is viewed negatively,” he said.
This distrust, he said, is rooted in decades of hardline narratives that portray the other side as an enemy rather than a partner. Breaking those narratives is essential, Stewart stressed.
“Peacebuilding requires not just negotiation but a willingness to dismantle these rigid narratives and build empathy,” he said. “And we do this all the time at an individual level. Bring two people who have each lost something in front of each other, and they can quite readily sympathise with each other and share a common grief,” he added.
This belief in the power of empathy, he added, resonates far beyond Cyprus: in many conflicts, peace emerges when people begin to recognise the humanity – and suffering – on the other side, he said.
He highlighted that peacekeeping is not a one-size-fits-all mode – it is modular – “a bit of this and a bit that”, tailored to the circumstances and working with a wide range of partners.
Now preparing for life after the UN, Stewart is clear: he has no plans to return in any advisory or consulting role.
“For me, retirement means retirement,” he said.
( Source: CNA)
