Today, UNFICYP held a flag-lowering ceremony for Chile to pay tribute to the country for its dedication and commitment to furthering the cause of peace in Cyprus. 

The event was attended by peacekeepers who were last deployed in the Mission and senior UNFICYP officials, including the Special Representative of the Secretary-General in Cyprus and Head of Mission, Ms. Elizabeth Spehar and UNFICYP Force Commander, Major General Cheryl Pearce. The flag was lowered by the senior national representative of Chile, 1^st Lieutenant Cristobal Lopez Troncoso.

Chileans have been contributing to UNFICYP since 2001, when the first Chilean soldiers arrived to Cyprus led by Captain Samy Hawa, from the Marines Corps. 

Over the years since UNFICYP started operations in Cyprus, more than 600 Chilean peacekeepers have been deployed to the island to fulfill the mandate of serving for peace. 

“Chile had an important role in this Mission and the collegiality and professionalism of its officers will be missed. We thank their contributions and wish the best in their future endeavors.” stated Ms. Spehar. 

Throughout their deployment, the Chilean troops contributed to the implementation of UNFICYP’s mandate and to the daily operational work of the Mission on the island.