On 3 August, UNIFIL donated a topographical Global Positioning System (GPS) device to the Regional Technical Office (RTO) of the Union of Municipalities of Tyre during a ceremony which was held in Qulaylah. The ceremony was presided over by the Italian Battalion commander, Colonel Giovanni Biondi, and Head of Tyre Union of Municipalities, Abdel Mohsen al-Husseiny, in the presence of a host of other local dignitaries from Tyre municipalities.

In his address, Col. Biondi underlined the importance of providing all types of assistance to support the local community. He stressed that the GPS will facilitate the performance of tasks allocated to the Technical Office in the Union of Municipalities of Tyre.

Qulaylah's Mayor Ghassan Salman thanked the Italian battalion for the donation and the efforts exerted to assist southern towns.

A demonstration on how to use the GPS topographical device was provided, along with an explanation by Head of the RTO Jalal Abed Ali regarding its advantages in terms of speed and precision over older survey technology.

The GPS device was donated with the assistance of UN-HABITAT, which has provided the specialized manpower required by the RTO to perform the required activities. It is used for topographical surveys and studies, enabling the Union members to apply for funding from ministries or other donors, or execute development projects from the municipal budget. The service is provided by the RTO free of charge.

"This development has to be the most important task of any government at different levels... In all this, the Union of Municipalities of Tyre is called to carry out the most important task of coordinating infrastructure development and providing firsthand the needs of the municipalities – members in the Union," the Italian Commander said.