The challenge: building common ground through dialogue between the leaders

By Maria Angela Holguin Cuellar

Almost a year ago in Geneva, in March 2025, both sides told the UN Secretary-General that they would commit to trust-building measures, which have yet to show any significant progress. In our last meeting on January 17, 2026, I brought the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders together for a direct conversation, not expecting concrete results, but rather seeking to explore the paths that must be open if negotiations are to start in the medium term.