Biography of Mustafa Akıncı

Mustafa Akıncı was born in Limasol on 28^th December 1947. After he graduated from Middle East Technical University, Faculty of Architecture, he settled down in Lefkosa. In 1975, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly of the Turkish Federated State of Cyprus. He was elected as the Mayor of Lefkosa Turkish Municipality when he was only 28 and served for an uninterrupted term of 14 years from 1976 to 1990.

During his 14 years of Mayorship, he collaborated with the then Nicosia Greek Cypriot Mayor on the implementation of the Nicosia Sewerage Project and the Nicosia Master Plan. In this context, Nicosia Master Plan received the ‘World Habitat Award’ in 1989 and the ‘Aga Khan Award for Architecture’ in 2007. Additionally, in 2003 Akıncı and his Greek Cypriot counterpart were awarded the prestigious ‘Europa Nostra Medal of Honor’.

Akıncı also played a vital role in the establishment of the Union of Turkish Cypriot Municipalities in 1983, which he then became the first president. From 1987 to 2001, he served as the leader of Communal Liberation Party (TKP).

Between 1993 and 2009, he carried on as a parliamentarian at TRNC Assembly. He has also served as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism between 1999 and 2001. During the period of the Annan Plan in 2003, he was the founder and the leader of the Peace and Democracy Movement (BDH). After the establishment of the Communal Democracy Party (TDP), he handed over his duty of leadership. He also attended famous international academic platforms such as Oxford, Harvard and Yale universities and gave conferences and participated as a speaker related to the Cyprus issue at international forums such as Chatham House. In 2010, Akıncı published his first book named “14 Years as a Mayor.” Akıncı is 68 years old, knows fluent English and he is married with three children and two grandchildren.