United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

United Nations
Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus

UNFICYP peacekeepers patrolling the buffer zone.
Abbreviation	UNFICYP
Formation	1964
Type	Peacekeeping force
Legal status	Active
Headquarters	Blue Beret Camp, Nicosia International Airport
Head	Colin Stewart (Canada), Head of Mission & Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus[1] Major General Erdenebat Batsuuri (Mongolia), Force Commander[2]
Parent organization	Department of Peace Operations
Website	UNFICYP Home page

The United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) is a United Nations Peacekeeping Force that was established under United Nations Security Council Resolution 186 in 1964 to prevent a recurrence of fighting following intercommunal violence between the Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and to facilitate a return to normal conditions.^[3] Major General Erdenebat Batsuuri (Mongolia) is the current Force Commander of UNFICYP, appointed in 2024, and preceded by Ingrid Gjerde (Norway).

Initially, UNFICYP consisted of military and civilian contingents drawn from Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. However, over its long history the Force has been the subject of various UNSC resolutions and reorganisations, and currently comprises contingents from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bangladesh, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Finland, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Mongolia, Montenegro, Nepal, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Paraguay, Serbia, Slovakia, Romania, Russia, and the United Kingdom.

As of 2024, the Mission has a strength over 800 military personnel and 69 police officers.^[4] The mandate for UNFICYP was last renewed on 30 January 2024 and extended until 31 January 2025.^[5]