The United Nations has been involved in the divided island of Cyprus for more than half a century, policing and monitoring a buffer zone between the Republic of Cyprus and the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

The mission is headed up by Elizabeth Spehar, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Cyprus, and is the first to have an all-women leadership team, in charge of the mission, military forces, and the police component.

When Ms. Spehar came into our UN News studio, shortly after briefing the Security Council on latest developments in Cyprus, Conor Lennon asked her to explain why the UN is still needed on the island.