
Elizabeth Spehar
Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) in Cyprus and Head of UNFICYP
SRSG Spehar succeeded Lisa. M Buttenheim, who completed her assignment on 10 June 2016.
SRSG Spehar has extensive political experience in several senior positions with the United Nations Department of Political Affairs since 2007, where she has previously served as the Director of the Policy and Mediation Division, Director for the Americas and Europe Division and Director of the Europe Division, engaging extensively on key political issues facing the region.
Prior to joining the United Nations, Ms. Spehar was a senior official with the Organization of American States for over 12 years, working on promoting democracy and developing the Organization’s instruments for dialogue and conflict resolution.
She holds a B.A. Honours Degree from Queen’s University, Canada; a Master’s Degree in International Affairs from the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University, Canada, and a Diplôme d’Etudes Supérieures from the University of Pau, France.
She was born in Port Arthur, Canada, and has a daughter.
Force Commander of the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus
Major General Cheryl Pearce of Australia succeeded Major General Mohammad Humayun Kabir of Bangladesh as Force Commander of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP).
Major General Pearce has had a distinguished career in the Australian Defence Force, most recently as Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy (since 2017), which provides undergraduate and postgraduate education as well as military training and education for future leaders of the Navy, Army and Air Force. In 2016, Major General Pearce was the Commander of the Australian Joint Task Force Group in Afghanistan providing training, advice and assistance to the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces as part of the Resolute Support Mission of The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
From 2013 to 2016, she served as the Australian Army Headquarters Chief of Staff and, from 2010 to 2012, as Director of Special Operations Support. She also held the positions of Commandant of the Defence Police Training Centre and Commanding Officer of the 1st Military Police Battalion. Major General Pearce was also the Australian Army’s Provost-Marshal and a military observer with the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor in 2002.
Major General Pearce holds a Bachelor of Arts in Asian Studies from the University of New England in Armidale, a Master’s in Policing, Intelligence and Counter-Terrorism from the Macquarie University in Sydney and a Masters of Arts in Defence Studies from the Deakin University in Melbourne.
Major General Pearce was born in South Australia. She has a partner and two daughters.
Chief Superintendent Fang LI
Senior Police Adviser
United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP)
Mrs Fang LI is a senior police officer with 25 years law enforcement serving experience in Shanghai, China. Ranking as chief superintendent, she has extensive managing background in different departments of Shanghai police force, from public order management to command and control, from immigration to traffic with areas various in training, human resource, strategic planning.
She has accumulated rich experience in community-oriented policing and intelligence-led policing. In 2008 Mrs Fang LI served in MINUSTAH for 12 months as personnel officer including 3 months as acting chief of personnel. She was chief of Liaison Office during 2010 World EXPO in Shanghai China. After that, she had her second Master degree in Australian in 2012 and graduated with Distinction. In 2018 and 2019, she participated United Nations Female Senior Police Leadership Roaster training in Malaysia and United Nations Police Command Course in German. Mrs Fang LI holds a Master’s of Art in Transnational Crime Prevention (University of Wollongong, Wollongong, Australia, 2012), a Master’s in Law in social science (East China University of Politics Science And Law, Shanghai, China, 2005), and a Bachelor in Law (East China University of Politics Science And Law, Shanghai, China, 1994).
She had national-sponsored scholarship for Sweden as a visiting fellow of 12 months in 2003. Mrs LI is married and with one son.
Heads of Mission /Special Representatives
22 | Ms. Lisa Buttenheim (USA) | June 2010 - June 2016 |
21 | Mr. Taye-Brook Zerihoun (Ethiopia) | May 2008 - April 2010 |
20 | Ms. Elizabeth Spehar (Canada) | 30 March 2008 – 07 May 2008 |
19 | Mr. Michael Moller (Denmark) | January 2006 - March 2008 |
18 | Mr. Zbiniew Wlosowicz (Poland) | 2005 - 2006 |
17 | Mr. Alvaro de Soto (Special Adviser, Peru) | 2000 - 2004 |
16 | Mr. James Holger (Acting, Chile) | 1999 - 2000 |
15 | Dame Ann Hercus (New Zealand) | 1999 - 1999 |
14 | Mr. Diego Cordovez (on a non resident basis) | 1997 - 1999 |
13 | Mr. Han Sung - Joo (Republic of Korea) | 1996 - 1997 |
12 | * Mr. Joe Clark (on a non-resident basis) | 1993 - 1996 |
11 | Mr. Oscar Camilion (Argentina) | 1988 - 1993 |
10 | Mr. James Holger (Acting, Chile) | 1984 - 1988 |
9 | Mr. Hugo J. Gobbi (Argentina) | 1980 – 1984 |
8 | Mr. Reynaldo Galindo Pohl (El Salvador) | 1978 - 1980 |
7 | Mr. Remy Gorge (Acting) | 1977 - 1978 |
6 | Mr. Javier Perez de Cuellar (Peru) | 1975 - 1977 |
5 | Mr. Luis Weckmann-Muñoz (Mexico) | 1974 - 1975 |
4 | Mr. Bibiano Fernandez Osorio - Tafall | 1967 - 1974 |
3 | Mr. P.P. Spinelli (Acting) | 1967 - 1967 |
2 | Mr. Carlos A. Bernardes (Brazil) | 1964 - 1967 |
1 | Mr. Galo Plaza Lasso (appointed as Mediator in September, Ecuador) | 1964 - 1964 |
* In August 1994, in connection with the change of command from Major-General Minehane to Brigadier-General Vartiainen, Mr. Clark became Chief of Mission. The function of Chief of Mission reflects a unified arrangement for the United Nations operation in Cyprus and includes UNFICYP. In the absence of the Special Representative, the Deputy Special Representative assumed this function.
UNFICYP Force Commander history
19 |
Major General Mohammad Humayun Kabir (Bangladesh) |
Aug 2016-July 2018 |
18 |
Major General Kristin Lund (Norway) |
Aug 2014-July 2016 |
17 |
Major General Chao Liu (China) |
Jan 2011 - Aug 2014 |
16 |
Rear Admiral Mario Sánchez Debernardi (Peru) |
Apr 2008 - Dec 2010 |
15 |
Major-General Rafael Jose Barni (Argentina) |
Mar 2006 - Mar 2008 |
14 |
Major-General Hebert Figoli (Uruguay) |
Jan 2004 - Jan 2006 |
13 |
Lieutenant-General Jin Ha Hwang (Republic of Korea) |
Jan 2002 - Dec 2003 |
12 |
Major-General Victory Rana (Nepal) |
Dec 1999 - Dec 2001 |
10 |
Brigadier-General Ahti Toimi Vartiainen |
Aug 1994 - Feb1997 |
9 |
Major-General Michael F. Minehane (Ireland) |
Apr 1992 - Aug 1994 |
8 |
Major-General Clive Milner (Canada) |
Apr 1988 - Apr 1992 |
7 |
Major-General Gunther G. Greindl (Austria) |
Mar 1981 - Apr 1988 |
6 |
Major-General J. J. Quinn (Ireland) |
Dec 1976 - Mar 1981 |
5 |
Lieutenant-General Dewan Prem Chand (India) |
Dec 1969 - Dec 1976 |
4 |
Lieutenant-General I A E Martola (Finland |
May 1966 - Dec 1969 |
3 |
Brigadier A. J. Wilson (Acting, United Kingdom) |
Dec 1965 - May 1966 |
2 |
General K. S. Thimayya (India - died in Cyprus) |
Jun 1964 - Dec 1965 |
1 |
General Gyani (India) |
Mar 1964 - Jun 1964 |