Following the announcement by the two leaders on 27 August 2026 of the 10 members of the Steering Committee of the Consultative Body for Civil Society Engagement in the Cyprus peace process, the Steering Committee held its first introductory meeting on 21 September 2026.
The meeting provided an opportunity for members to get to know one another and to begin preliminary discussions on working methods and plans for the Consultative Body. The Steering Committee is expected to meet regularly as preparations move forward and the two representatives of the leaders are also expected to attend one of its early meetings.
The Consultative Body was among the trust-building initiatives on which the leaders reached a common understanding during the informal 5+1 meeting convened by the Secretary-General in July 2025, with the participation of representatives of the guarantor powers Greece, Türkiye and the United Kingdom.
Read the Secretary-General’s remarks following the July 2025 informal meeting in a broader format
In May 2026, the leaders subsequently agreed on a framework for its establishment.
Read Cypriot Leaders Met in Nicosia and Agreed on a Set of Practical Steps | uncyprustalks
Traditional peacemaking has rested on the premise that success is measured in effectiveness not inclusivity. Yet, peace has often proved elusive. Today, there is a growing body of evidence which shows that conflict prevention, peacemaking, mediation and peacebuilding processes that fully and meaningfully include women, youth and civil society, are more likely to generate broad community ownership and support for a negotiated settlement that leads to a more durable and sustainable peace.
The Security Council has called on the two Cypriot leaders to increase their support to, and ensure a meaningful role for, civil society engagement in peace efforts, in particular by forming a consultative body as agreed in the informal broader-format meeting in July 2025. Read Security Council resolution 2815 on Cyprus, 20 January 2026 here: n2601870.pdf. In addition, the United Nations Secretary-General has urged in successive reports to the Security Council on his Mission of Good Offices in Cyprus that the two Cypriot leaders do more to engage and consult with civil society.
To this end, the Good Offices Mission in Cyprus consistently engages with diverse perspectives to inform its work in support of the peace process. The Consultative Body and its Steering Committee are facilitated by the United Nations Good Offices Mission in Cyprus.
