Project Summary: 

"Determining the fate of missing persons occupies an increasingly prominent role in peace-making, peacekeeping and post conflict peace building. Handled properly, it can build trust and promote reconciliation that are crucial for long term peace. The Committee on Missing Persons in Cyprus has been a model of successful cooperation between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot communities.” Ban Ki-moon, Secretary General of the United Nations.

The overall objective of the project is to close a painful chapter in the history of the island and contribute to the process of rapprochement and reconciliation between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. This objective is further encouraged and promoted through the participation of bi-communal scientific teams in all stages of the process.

UNDP, in full synergy with the overall mandate of the Committee of Missing Persons in Cyprus, is responsible for the day-to-day administrative, financial and procurement implementation of the project.

The Committee on Missing Persons issues regular progress updates and statistical progress reports which can be downloaded from the CMP website.

The European Union is the main financing source for the Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) in Cyprus, with a total contribution of EUR 25.5 million up to phase 10.  The European Commission's agreement with the UNDP provides an additional EUR 3 million for the work of the CMP for phase 10 of the project, aiming first of all to increase the number of remains of missing persons returned to their families but also to build local capacity and trust between communities.