Nicosia, Cyprus. The Committee on Missing Persons (CMP) said it received a £15,000 (€17,282) donation from the United Kingdom. The CMP said the funding will support DNA analyses and equipment for its operations in 2026.
UK funding and intended use
The CMP said the donation brings total UK contributions to €322,282 since 2004. It said the funding has enabled it to undertake essential DNA analyses and acquire necessary equipment required for its operations in 2026.
The CMP said the continued support of the United Kingdom contributes to its efforts to identify and return the remains of missing persons and to help bring closure to families.
CMP exhumations and identifications
After becoming active in 2006, the CMP began work to locate and identify 2,002 people who went missing during Cyprus’ intercommunal conflicts. It has exhumed 1,714 bodies and identified the remains of 1,065 people from the official list, as well as 216 others.
Of those identified, 301 were Turkish Cypriots and 764 were Greek Cypriots.
Latest annual figures
Last year, the remains of 23 people were found and 12 were identified. Eight of those identified were Greek Cypriots and four were Turkish Cypriots.
Other international support
The CMP also receives donations from other international organisations and nation states. It said the European Union donated €2.6 million in January.
What do you think continued international funding means for the CMP’s ability to identify missing persons in 2026?