UNFICYP United Nations Force in Cyprus

Map of UNFICYP deployment in Cyprus

Deployment: March 1964

The UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) was established by the Security Council by its resolution 186 (1964) of 4 March 1964. The mandate of the force has been extended by the Council in subsequent resolutions, the latest of which was resolution 1687 (2006) of 15 June 2006, which extended UNFICYP until 15 December 2006.

Headquarters: Nicosia

Mandate: The mandate of UNFICYP, in accordance with Security Council Resolution 186 (1964) of 4 March 1964, is the following: "In the interest of preserving international peace and security, to use its best efforts to prevent a recurrence of fighting and, as necessary, to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions."

After the Turkish invasion of 1974 the mandate of the force was expanded by relevant Security Council Resolutions in order to include the maintenance of the cease fire and the surveillance of the United Nations buffer zone, as well as a number of humanitarian functions concerning the refugees, the enclaved, etc.

Present number of the force: 1,057  (June 2006)

Contributors of military personnel: Argentina*, Austria, Canada,Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia** , United Kingdom.

* The Argentinian contingent included soldiers from Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Peru.

** The Slovakian contingent included soldiers from Croatia.

Contributors of police personnel: Argentina, Australia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, El Salvador, India, Ireland, Italy and Netherlands.

Cost of the force: $46,770,000  gross

Estimated amount of the financial cost of UNFICYP for a 12-month period beginning 1 July 2006 to 30 June 2007 is $46,770,000. This includes the voluntary contribution from the Government of Cyprus of one third of the cost of the force and the annual amount of $6,500,000 contributed by the Government of Greece.

Fatalities: 176 since its establishment.

Commander: Major General Rafael Jose Barni (Argentina)

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